


Karma's a bitch

by JotunVali



Series: Everybody loves Eddie [2]
Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Betrayal, Drug Use, Enemies to Lovers, Gay Sex, Humanity, Love Is All Around, M/M, OT3, Other, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Swearing, Temporary Character Death, Tentacle Sex, bambi eyes, bless modern talking tunes, breaking up, lots of fucks, you used me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2020-01-06 01:39:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 18,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18378299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JotunVali/pseuds/JotunVali
Summary: Carlton Drake's plan has failed. And he's dying. The worst is not even that or his rocket in pieces. The worst is he still has human feelings.♫I didn't know that I'm falling for you and my dreams could come true♫





	1. Chapter 1

It burnt.

Fire.

Flames everywhere.

His skin was frying.

His blood was boiling.

No.

It shouldn’t happen.

It shouldn’t have happened.

He had planned everything.

His theories.

His tests.

His manhunt.

The rocket.

The symbiote invasion.

His ruling on Earth.

**_My_ ruling on Earth, Drake.**

What?

The rocket exploded. Throwing bits of metal, smoke and the founder of Life Foundation down in the sea.

Sea salt slipped through his fresh wounds. It stung. It hurt.

**I chose you because you had a leader spirit. Like me. Because I needed your rocket. After bringing other symbiotes on Earth, I’d have taken whole control on your mind and body. I’m not really the sharing type. Or better, TOSSED you away for a better host. It seems you’re not as reliable as I thought.**

Why did this loud voice in his head hurt a million times more?

Why did he not care about all these litres of blood -his own blood- slowly streaming up to the surface as he was drowning?

No.

That wasn’t what he’d planned. Not what he’d wished for.

Symbiotes were supposed to be the most perfect species in the universe. They were supposed to help him save the Earth from humanity and get him to rule over it. Riot had promised to him. Riot. Riot…

**Not reliable. And sentimental. Guess I got my hopes too high. I don’t want to throw up. And your body is too wrecked now. Have a nice death, Drake.** The grey Alpha symbiote waggled away from Carlton’s shredded body.

_ No. Come back. Come back! I’m going to die. Help me. Save me. Riot. Riot! I loved… _

A few bubbles flew out of his mouth.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlton Drake meets Dr Dan Lewis.

He woke up. White walls. Smell of bleach. Tied up on a bed. One eye covered with band-aid.

_Ugh. Great. More wrecked than I thought._

“Dan, that guy is insane! He tested on people! On vulnerable people! I saw it with my own eyes! He killed my friend Maria! Almost killed me! I got all the evidence! Anne can testify too!” An annoyingly familiar voice was bellowing behind the door.

 _Why did I have to hire the most incompetent henchmen in the universe?_ He lamented internally.

“Eddie, after meeting your alien boyfriend I’m ready to believe everything you’d tell me. But I remind you I’m a medic and my job consists in helping people, whoever they are. I won’t let a patient die on the ground that he’s insane or a murderer.”

“I’m not asking you to let him die! Just let him suffer.” Eddie suggested in a fake innocent tone.

“Oh Eddie, you’d make a terrible doctor.” Dan sighed.

“That’s why you are and I’m not.” Eddie smiled before he swiftly kissed the doctor on the lips. “And that’s why I secretly love you for.”

“Not my definition of ‘secret’ but I know secret means nothing to you, naughty meddler.” Dan kissed him back. “Go back to your sacred mission of exposing bad guys.”

“You to your holy mission of saving them.” Eddie winked before he vanished.

The bedridden scientist saw the doctor walk in.

“Oh, you’re awake.” He gave him a sickening bright smile. “How are you, Mr Drake?”

“I’m hog-tied to an unpleasantly hard mattress, I’m bloodless, I have third degree burns and I’ve lost one eye, a lifetime dream, my hopes and the only person that I’ve ever loved. But sure I'm fine.”

“You can still talk, that’s a good sign.”

“In my case, that would be on the contrary an awfully bad sign.” Carlton tried to smirk but hissed just after.

“Don’t push yourself too hard. Being rich and famous doesn’t make you less human.”

“If only…” The Life foundation boss mumbled.

 _I’ve done absolutely everything to be the least human. Everything. Even bonded with the most wonderful, perfect being I’ve ever met._ His mouth outlined the shadow of a smile. _Even that didn’t work._  

“Is it why you brought back from space these… parasites?”

“A simple human like you wouldn’t understand.” Carlton replied in contempt. “If humanity had bonded with my symbiotes, Earth could have been saved. The world would have been so perfect.” He smiled, half-daydreaming.

“Well, call me simple again if you want but I doubt a world can be perfect when created out of torture or genocide.” Dan lectured while thinking that one patient really was high and should be transferred in an asylum.

“And you call yourself a doctor?” The high patient scoffed. “Science advanced thanks to the torture and murder of living beings, including you pathetic humans, whether you like or not!” He screamed. “Your ‘ethics’ disgust me.” His nose crinkled. “If I had sticked to animal testing without using any human being, no one, no fucking Brock, would have hassled me! Don’t you claim the opposite, Dr Lewis!”

“You’re quite healthy for someone who fell off a burning rocket.” Dan grinned. “That’s good. Maybe you’re not human after all.”

“If I wasn’t, Riot…”

_My beautiful, magnificent Riot._

“Riot wouldn’t have left me.” Carlton’s voice cracked. “Being human is a defect. We have the evidence of it right before our eyes. And wishing to save them is even more of a defect.” He glared at Dan. “Doctors, 'heroes'… you all disgust me.”

“The feeling is mutual, Mr Drake. I’ll come back tomorrow. ” Dan turned his back. “Oh and, your lawyer must visit you at noon.” He closed the door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drake deals with Counsellor Weying.

There was a lump in his throat. He couldn’t help staring at the window and wondering where was his beloved symbiote right now. Was he feeding on other weak humans? Had he found a ‘better’ host? Or simply hijacked someone else’s rocket to go back to his planet? Permanently proving the utter waste of billions of dollars pointlessly spent? Proving the founder of Life foundation has been tricked and stupid since the beginning? So ironic for a man who’d spent himself his time proudly manipulating and seducing people. Yes. Riot had seduced him. That was the right word. Carlton Drake had lost to his own game. This made him bitterly smile and chuckle. He also was a weak human after all. He didn’t hear the door closing.

“I didn’t know billionaires with a God complex were able to cry.” A feminine voice noticed.  

What?

Him? Crying?

Shit, and he couldn’t move his hands!

“It’s a good thing I have tissues with me.” The blonde woman told him.

_ Wait. She won’t dare! _

“There. You’re ok now.” She wiped his tears off.

Weak. Tricked. Rejected. Publicly humiliated. What could be worse?

“I didn’t know lawyers were that considerate, Miss Weying.” He joked, trying to sound conceited.

“Just like wealthy scientists aren’t all alien-fucking homicidal maniacs, Mr Drake.” Anne replied as she was taking a folder out of her bag.

_ I wish I had actual sex with them. _

_ With Riot. _

“Ok, I’m just here to notify you of what is expecting you when you’re in better shape again.”

_ Who says I’m ever gonna be in a better shape again? I’ve lost all reason to be in a good shape. _

“With all the evidence recorded and the testimonies of many of your ex employees -in addition of mine, even with a solid defense or a generous bribery, I don’t think you will avoid life imprisonment, Mr Drake. At least.” Anne concluded.

“How charitable to warn me about my future among the dirt and serial rapes, counsellor. Do you defend rapists too?”

“I have all sorts of clients. Never met one like you before though. You break all records.”

“Do I?” He made a creepy smile. “I have to thank you, I suppose. Why defending me then, I wonder? I didn’t have the time to bribe you yet.”

“I’m not defending you, I’m  _ prosecuting  _ you. You really have a humongous ego, Mr Drake. You remind me of certain journalist, you know. The one who took the pics in your lab.” Anne teased him.

“I’m nothing like that Brock loser.” He asserted. 

“No. He saves people instead of killing them, he’s doing great, got back his job and his girl and… oh yes.  **_He_ ** has kept his alien parasite.” She mocked him.

Drake’s heart skipped a beat. He’d have beaten, bit her, ripped her to death if Riot was… Riot...

“What happened to your ugly friend by the way?” Anne enquired.

“Riot is not ugly!” He screamed out of the blue. “Riot was… is the most perfect, most… wonderful being I’ve ever got lucky to meet!”

Anne stepped back. She thought for an instant the ugly symbiote would emerge from Drake’s body. 

“He’s… gone.” He used the most elusive term not to give her the hint Riot had survived the fire in the rocket. And if he admitted out loud to his own prosecutor he’d been used by an alien, he wouldn’t get just life imprisonment, but life imprisonment in an asylum. He was physically damaged but he still had all his brain skills.

Anne saw something like sorrow on his face. Eddie looked that way too when he thought Venom was dead. So, Riot was dead. 

_ He’s gone because I disappointed him. Because I wasn’t as strong, as leading, as… inhuman as he’d wished. That repulsive human condition I loath so much had ruined it all! _

Maybe it came from her lawyer mindset but Anne couldn’t help feeling sorry about the man everyone now considered as a madman, her included.

“Humans are trash, counsellor.” Drake grumbled. “And you and your husbands are the worst type!” He claimed. “You defend, you save low, impure, rotten human beings!” 

“Except you, I suppose?” Anne crossed her arms.

“I wish, counsellor. I wish.” He answered.


	4. Chapter 4

Carlton woke up. Had he fallen asleep? Well he hardly could do anything else in his current state. Except pressing on a button that brought morphine into his arm. Still daylight? God dammit, why was time going by so slowly? If only it was Carlton’s only problem at the moment… For after Doctor Dan and Counsellor Weying, that pain in the ass Brock had somehow wanted to relieve his patched up conscience by coming here.

“So? How’s life?” The insufferable muckraker had the nerve to ask.

“Marvelous, thanks to you Brock.” Carlton sassed him.

“Sorry? I must have hearing issues cause I believe you’ve just blamed me for your crumble state.” The full of himself reporter mocked him. “But _ I  _ think  _ you _ … brought this on yourself. You kinda tried to slice me open, remember? You should learn a few things about karma.”

“Screw you, Brock!” Drake stormed. “If you hadn’t fucked with me, none of that shit would have happened and my plan would have worked!”

“Yeah? Well, though I never thought I’d say that someday, I’m glad I have fucked with you Carlton Drake!” Eddie claimed. “Do you even remember the names of the people you’ve mass-killed for your ‘plan’?”

“I never bother to remember the names of no-names.” The ex Life Foundation CEO replied in a scathing cackle.

“You son of a…” Eddie was about to explode. “You… fu **cking DOUCHEBAG!** ” Venom yelled, emerging from his host’s shoulder, ready to rip Drake into shreds.

“V! No! Not here!” Eddie ordered.

“ _ Not here _ ? So murder doesn’t bother you more than it does me, Brock.” 

“Shut up! I’m nothing like you!”

“Are you, Eddie? Are you? I wonder what you and your deviant boyfriend must do when your wife and husband have their back turned.”

“I… We save people!” The thrown off journalist justified himself.

“That’s also what I wanted to do.” Drake tackled him.

“What you wanted was to show the world how your dick is the biggest at the cost of people’s lives! And V is not…! No. In fact, I’m glad V’s deviant.” He scratched his symbiote’s chin -if symbiotes ever had chins. Venom purred. “Maybe  _ you  _ wouldn’t be here if your ugly pal had been deviant too.” Eddie implied.

Carlton received these words like an iron hammer in his face.

“Riot is not…!” He found himself unable to complete his sentence. For that clown Brock was right. If Riot, his wonderful, worshipped Riot had been like Venom, he wouldn’t have sunk into water and despair. But then, would  _ he  _ have loved Riot? “Curse you, Brock!” He spat.

“At your service, bro.” Eddie welcomed. “Damn, why am I even here anyway? You deserved… you should have died up there.”

“Yes. I should have.” Carlton strangely agreed.

God, he was so, SO pathetic! He wanted to rule the world, stand above everyone else, and now… now he was paralyzed and only wanted to have Riot loving him. Just loving him. He didn’t care anymore about saving or ruling the world, he just wanted to be with Riot. Now he’d even rather have a lovey-dovey than a powerful leader Riot. So pathetic.

“Kill me, Brock.” He commanded.

“What?”

“I said kill me, Brock!”

“You’re jok-? N-no! I’m not killing you!” Eddie vehemently refused.

“You’re clearly have no more problems than me with killing and you’re the one responsible for my current state, so be competent for once and just finish your job!” Carlton barked.

“No, I won’t! You know why? Because it’d make a coward which, unlike certain people, I’m not! And just because this is what  _ you  _ want, I won’t do it. Besides, it’d make you skip the jail, something you little bit deserve.”

Life foundation ex CEO grumbled. Then strangely smiled at Brock.

“Eddie… you remember what I did to you, don’t you?”

“Pretty much, yeah. You tried to kill me like ten times in less than one day.”

“Not only that. I was responsible for the loss of your job, of your home… of your girlfriend. Wasn’t I?” Drake kept his disturbing smile.

“Sort of, yeah. What’s your point?” Eddie was puzzled. Why was this bastard suddenly talking that way now?

“I’ve also tried to take your beloved symbiote from you. And if you hadn’t stopped me, I  would have killed all the people you hold dear, Eddie. Isn’t that true?”

“That’s true, yeah.” Eddie got suspicious. What was that douchebag leading him to do? 

“Then you should make sure they’re really safe. By setting Venom on me, for instance.” Drake serenely implied, staring at the reporter with his enchanting sparkly brown eyes.

Or so that jerk thought!

“Sorry but your Bambi doe eyes won’t work on me.”

“You think you have the power of life and death on people?” Carlton raged.

“What? Like you?” Eddie retorted.

“So you admit we’re not that different, Eddie.” Carlton smirked.

**This time, I’ll really eat you!** Venom opened his full of sharp teeth mouth.

“No, V! This is precisely what he wants!” His host warned him.

“Doesn’t matter. I don’t need your symbiote to get what I want, Eddie.” Carlton formed a creepy smile.

Eddie noticed only now Drake’s arm was weirdly wiggling for a few minutes now. What was he…? Oh shit! The morphine drip! That jerk was pressing on it like crazy!

“Hey! Hey!! Stop that!” He screamed, trying to tear the button off Drake’s fingers.

“Even if I stop now, it’s already too late.” The latter laughed. “Too late…” 

“Shit! Shit!!” The unattentive reporter stormed in the hallway. “Quick, a nurse! Nurse! Someone, please!”

“And not too soon for me…” Drake breathed.

“Fuck! Shit!!” Eddie cursed. “Venom! Save him!”

**Why?**

“Because just do it! Save now! Talk later!”

**Ok, fine!** The symbiote grumbled.

Carlton was dozing off. His eyelids felt heavier and heavier.

“Riot…” He managed to pronounce.

“Don’t you dare die on me, you bast-” Eddie boiled inside.

“Riot!... Riot!” Carlton repeated as if it was the only thing he was able to say. And think about. “Riot…” 

_ You were my God. You were my dream! _

“Riot…”

_ I just wasn’t yours. _

“Shit, Venom, hurry!” Eddie rushed.

**I do what I can! Overdose is complicated to heal!**

“RIOT!” Carlton cried out before collapsing on his bed. Motionless.


	5. Chapter 5

Carlton woke up. Oh for Riot’s sake, he had to fail his own death too? Why wasn’t he dead? The amount of morphine he’d shot in his veins was enough to kill a horse! Or so he’d assumed so. He sat up.

Wait. He could move? He glanced at his arms, his legs… Everything had healed. No more miles-long bandages, no more tubes in his nose, and… his two eyes were able to see! How…? Dared he hope… Riot?

No. Life foundation fallen CEO’s mind and heart remained as empty as the vacuum of space. Then who…? Carlton noticed only now he wasn’t at the hospital anymore. What was that decrepit room? It looks awful. What the hell was he doing here? Why the hell did he wear nothing but underpants? How the fuck had he landed half-naked in that shithole? Who the fuck-? He knew that place. From his manhunt to get Venom back. It was Eddie fucking Brock’s lousy apartment. Why did that sorry loser have brought Carlton here? To get his revenge on him? To proudly and personally deliver the dethroned billionaire to the authorities? Why did Brock… why did Brock save him? That was the part Drake didn’t understand. Ah yes. To avoid him “skipping” the jail.

_Fuck you, Brock. You think you’re a hero or something?_

He wasn’t going to let Brock have his way. He was about to grab his clothes and… Oh that’s right. He didn’t wear any cloth except that paper-sheety robe back at the hospital. No matter. He’d steal Brock’s clothes and… Oh shit. Everyone in the country, everyone in the world knew his face! One foot outside and the first random guy would call the cops. He buried his face in his hands.

“Shit. Shit!”

_Why did you have the play the benevolent savior, Brock? You’re not more of a savior than I’m a Tibetan monk! Moron!_

**You still have nightmares, Eddie?**

Drake heard a familiar deep-bass voice behind the bedroom door.

“Yeah well, the recent event involving henchmen and rockets… and having the maker of said rocket in my own bedroom… didn’t help.”

**Why did we have to sleep on the couch though?**

“Because, oddly enough, sleeping in the same bed as Carlton Drake was not on my to-do list.” Eddie replied with his typical sarcasm.

 _That doesn’t explain why-_ Carlton thought.

 **But why did you let** **_HIM_ ** **sleep in** **_YOUR_ ** **bed in the first place?** **_HE_ ** **should have slept on the couch!** The irritated symbiote argued; cutting off the symbiote-aficionado’s thinking process.

“I don’t know. Maybe cause I must be a welcoming host in every sense of the word.” The tired reporter limply smiled. “And cause he maybe needed it more than me.”

_You think I feel thankful, you scruffy son of a bitch?_

“I’m not the one who exploded before shooting lethal tons of drugs in my veins.” He remembered in dread. Drake may be a psychopathic douchebag, a man committing suicide right in front of his eyes remained a horrifying feeling.

**I should be angry at you, Eddie. Yet, I’m not.**

“Really? To what do I owe that honor?” He attempted to seduce his other.

 **To the fact you’re sweet, Eddie. In every sense of the word.** Venom licked his beloved host’s cheek. **Maybe too sweet. If you have so horrible nightmares, it’s still because of that bastard Drake. Screw the jail. We should eat him.**

“Ugh! No, V, I told you. We won’t eat him.” Eddie whined as if he was almost sorry for it.

 **Why?** **He asked for it. Literally.**

“Because… because he can’t fight back.” The confused host poorly explained.

 **What are you talking about? Neither could the guys we’ve eaten before fight back!** Venom questioned.

Well, that was quite a scoop. The kind of scoop that’d make the news of Brock’s TV show and the front of every paper: “The exposer of Life Foundation’s schemes possessed by a cannibalistic spree!”

 _Saving people, my ass._ Carlton cursed internally.

No time for monologuing. If he didn’t know if he’d ever go out of that outdated building for something else than prison, neither did he intend to remain forever in that narrow and smelly room. He rummaged through Brock’s clothes which were surprisingly ironed. Even if they were all too large for him, he eventually put on a grey shirt. The color reminded the enamored scientist of his idolized symbiote.

Carlton sighed and opened the door.

“You play the day savior, Brock…” His voice was creaking and his throat sore. “But you seem to enjoy small murders from time to time… with the creature you stole from me on top of that.” He snorted in scorn. “So, I was right.”

 _Shit! He heard it all?_ Eddie worried.

 **Doesn’t matter! He can’t go outside!** Venom snarled. **And if he does we will bite his head off!**

“No! V, for God’s sake!” The worn-out host protested before turning back to a bare-legged Drake. “You were right about what? The hell you doin’ with _my_ clothes on you?” He scrutinized the man from head to toes.

“I loathe wearing your rags if it can make you feel better, Brock.” Carlton grumbled. “I just didn’t feel like showing up almost naked in front of the bastard who ruined my career and life and also probably doomed the whole planet.”

“Well thanks for caring about my feelings, sweetheart.” Eddie taunted.

 **Hey! I thought I was your sweetheart!** Venom backlashed.

“That was a joke, darling.” His host petted the piqued symbiote. “D’you seriously think skinny mad scientists are my type?” He glared at Carlton.

“Do _you_ seriously think you’re an awe-inspiring stallion, Brock?” The latter retorted.

“No idea. Do you?” Eddie kept on teasing him.

“You fucking, shitty-” The furious world-wanted scientist gritted his teeth before his innards got suddenly painful. “What the…?”

“You alright?” Eddie enquired, surprised by his own concern for him.

“The… the toilets… please…” Drake almost whispered.

“Just on your left.”

“Thank you.”

Eddie was even more surprised by Carlton’s groundless gratefulness. That surprise didn’t last long for his ears now had to bear gross guttural puking noises. These noises then gave way to loud huffs and puffs.

“You ok, man?” Eddie attempted.

“Do I sound… do I sound like I’m ok?... moron??” Carlton screamed and panted at the same time. “What did you… what did you do to me??” He demanded.

“I saved…! We’ve saved your ass! That’s what we did!” The offended reporter protested.

“B-bullshit!” The sick ex CEO spat. “Why am I… puking some white vomit then?... Just after you’ve so-called saved me??” He emphasized.

 **That must be some side-effect of my healing. He’s throwing up the remains of the drugs.** Venom suggested.

“Who… who told you to save me by the way??... Huh??” Drake barked from the toilet.

“Something that have left your genius brain a long time ago, douchebag!” Eddie roared back.

“Oh, you still want to convince the world you have a small angel in your stupid head?” Carlton sniggered, slamming the toilet door behind him.

 **He has ME in his beautiful head!** Venom reminded him. **And I’ll eat yours if you ever try to hurt Eddie again!** He threatened him.

“And I would gladly accept your offer if your Eddie wasn’t here to ruin it all.” Carlton replied to the deviant symbiote. “May I enquire about the reason that makes me so special that you won’t gobble me up?” He questioned the reckless reporter.

Frankly, Eddie didn’t know what to reply. Now he thought of it, Venom could bite his head off and Eddie could pass it off as a murder by any anonymous bystander like the skilled and bold investigator he was. After all, a lot, LOT of people had a motive to kill Carlton Drake now.


	6. Chapter 6

**Yes! Finally you become sensible, Eddie.** Venom viciously grinned as telepathically talking to his host.

The reporter had met a thousand of shamelessly richass and ruthless people like Drake. Jail would never correct them. He just should eat his head here and now. It’d save time and trouble. And as powerful and influential the rocketman was, he could easily escape the lockup or lead his cell mates to kill him through bribery or silver-tongued manipulation or seduction with these big, trust-inducing, enchanting, glittering, sparkling, radiant, warm, brown, beautiful eyes... Wait. What was he thinking about yet?

**We can eat his eyes last if you want.**

“What?” Eddie cluelessly asked. He had lost the thread of his thoughts.

Carlton chuckled and bitterly smiled.

“I have asked you. What. Makes me. So. Special?” He repeated, out of patience.

“U-uh… Well… I… I don’t know.” Eddie stammered, out of words.

“You don’t know?” Carlton laughed in amazement mixed with contempt.

_Shit. Why did I answer that?_

**Yes, Eddie. Why?**

“I-I’m…” The perplexed host mumbled.  “Listen. Both of you! I-I’m just still a bit shit-faced from my... quasi sleepless night, ok? So I _may..._ tell senseless and matterless shit.”

“You mean more than usual?” Drake mocked while glaring more and more intensely at him.

_Fuck! Don’t stare at me, beautiful bastard!_

**So THAT’S why you don’t want us to eat Drake! You think he’s hot!** Venom took full offense, out loud.

Eddie’s heart and brain froze.

Carlton’s eyes grew as wide as space.

 _Beautiful starry eyes…_ Eddie malfunctioning brain couldn’t help commenting.

“N-no!” He screamed in protest. “That’s not for that!” He added and realized he’d just sunk deeper into embarrassment.

“N-not for _that_?” The appalled CEO parroted to be sure he’d heard what he’d just heard.

 **Eddie! He tried to kill us many times! Almost killed Annie! He experimented on me and my comrades! You’re the best placed to know it! I was freezing while other were burning!** The pissed symbiote bellowed. **He tortured and killed a lot of innocent people! People who admired and looked up on him!**

That denomination reminded with a steel punch in his heart the suicidal scientist his own one-sided feelings for the alpha symbiote. In the end, he wished he and Riot didn’t share _that_ many common traits. Leading, ordering, seducing the people of his kind to make them do absolutely anything he wants. Skirth, Jameson, Treece, the human guinea pigs… Carlton has never cared one bit if they loved or admired him. He just needed them to obey and that’s it. If their adoration for him helped to manipulate them easily, well, the rest was a child’s play. That must be exactly what Riot had thought when he met the megalomaniacal CEO. Riot had tricked him the same way Carlton had tricked all the people around him. And it tore his heart apart. The most painful was, unlike the cowards he used to have as employees, _he_ would have gladly and blindly followed Riot until the end. Carlton Drake had been more gullible and easier to deceive and seduce than the whole Life Foundation’s staff!

 **It’s like what you did to Annie but a million times WORSE! You** **_DO_ ** **know that, Eddie! And now you even have nightmares from his chases after us!**

“I remember all that shit, V, thank you!” The worn out journalist growled as memories of curled up Maria in her frost-glazed cell and the fierce chases in the woods then on the road dashed through his thoughts. “I also remember that I’ve published the photos of the lab to get the job done!”

**Yet, you won’t kill him cause he has pretty eyes? I didn’t know you were the shallow kind of guy, Eddie.**

“I didn’t know _you_ liked shallow guys, Venom!” The sassy host retorted.

 

 _I didn’t know symbiotes were able to love._ Carlton thought.

 _I didn’t know_ I _was able to love._

_And that love sucked so much._

_Human feelings really are trash. Being human is trash._

 

“If my pretty eyes are the only problem, just eat them first.” He calmly suggested, as if it was nothing.

“What?” Eddie squeaked in disbelief.

**That’d be with great pleasure! But Eddie doesn’t want it!**

“ _Eddie, Eddie, Eddie_ … do you intend to obey him like a good doggie for the rest of your life?” Carlton sneered at the repulsively deviant symbiote. Only one symbiote left from the four the Life foundation had brought to Earth and it had to be the lowliest, the softest and most degenerate of them all? The only one who had debasing human feelings?

 **Like** **_you_ ** **intended to obey Riot like a doormat until he crunches your brains?** Venom hit back. **Like you screeched Riot’s name before collapsing like a worthless trashbag thrown from a window?**

“Venom!” Eddie berated his alien partner. Even he thought it was really mean and cruel.

Carlton’s whole body tensed and froze. It felt like his brain and all his blood vessels had blown up. He clenched his shaking punches. He didn’t know if he should kill Venom or himself or maybe both or maybe the three of them with that bastard Brock. If only he had a weapon, fire… Why didn’t that fucking fire back in the rocket kill him?

“Yes.” He ended up muttering. Tears surged in the corner of his eyes. He sank his teeth on his lips. Breathed in. “Like me.” He managed to confirm in a trembling voice.

Eddie as the black symbiote were speechless. Venom’s host was now shared between repulsion and pity for the man who’d made his recent life a literal hell. He remembered the feeling of betrayal stabbing his heart when he thought Venom was using and killing him. It had felt as painful as Annie’s rejection.

 **I will never try to eat your liver again, Eddie. I promise.** Venom affectionately licked his beloved host.

If Drake was head over heels for Riot as much as Eddie was for Annie, Dan and Venom -and that’s already a skyscraping high amount of crazy love!- or maybe even more than that… then Eddie couldn’t imagine how abandoned and lonely the doe-eyed scientist must be feeling right now. Neither could he picture Drake rejecting Riot like he had done it with Venom. Even when Annie dumped him, Eddie had never felt desperate to the extent of committing suicide.

A soft symbiote head lovingly rubbed against his cheek.

No. Drake was an arrogant, mass-murdering and misanthropic jerk but he’d never reject his symbiote. Under no circumstance. Yet, Riot had rejected _him_.

 _“Karma’s a bitch.”_ Eddie recalled his own words. Maybe that karma stuff and what Mrs Chen had advised him to listen to wasn’t entirely bullshit after all.

Drake’s henchmen tried to kill him. Venom killed them.

He betrayed Annie’s trust. She dumped him. He apologized. She took him back.

Drake manipulated, seduced, betrayed, tortured people probably all his life. It just was karma, or destiny, if someone -somesymbiote?- like Riot had chosen him as a host.

He’d brought his disgrace and rejection upon himself since the beginning. Would Eddie never had met Venom, or Drake never had found Venom, the insightful reporter was convinced the grey symbiote still would have rejected, betrayed or eaten Drake. The only differences: V wouldn’t have met Eddie who would have been killed by the Life foundation secret police, Earth would have been invaded by hungry aliens and virtually everyone on the planet would be dead or lobotomized.

 _Now, what to do with him?_ Eddie wondered.


	7. Chapter 7

That pretty bastard should have died in his rocket. It’d have saved Eddie to have him squatting his apartment and wondering if he should kill him or not.

**Let’s just eat him, then! Problem solved!**

“No!” Eddie forbade. “I-I’ve already told we won’t eat him!”

“WHY?”

**WHY?**

Carlton and the glutton symbiote insisted, both frustrated and impatient.

“This is what I want! So what you waiting for, Brock?”

**This is what he wants! So what you waiting for, Eddie?**

“Do you need a fucking invitation? You have it!”

**Do you need a fucking invitation? You have it!**

They both raged at the cornered reporter.

“Stop!” Eddie ordered. “Shut up! You both shut up!” He screeched before longingly huffing out. Two murderous guys for the price of one screaming at him really wasn’t his cup of tea.

 **Sorry, Eddie. You don’t like loud noises.** The black goo snuggled against his host’s cheek. **And you have enough anxiety issues. Sorry.** Venom apologized again before starting to purr.

“It’s ok.” Eddie poorly smiled. “I know all that human moral shit is still complicated for you.” He kissed the delighted symbiote. “And to be honest… for me too.”

“Really, Brock? You finally think biting people’s heads off is not actually very nice?” Drake sassed him.

“Says the guy who tortured people in order to save humanity. Spot the mistake.” Eddie stroke back.

“They were necessary sacrifice! **_I_ **’ve never pretended to be a hero, Brock!” The dethroned billionaire flamed up.

“You totally have!” Eddie half-laughed. “Or maybe my ears were damaged when I was tied up to some BDSM chair and heard ‘a great man trying to initiate a whole new world’ from a God-complexed and Disney-fond maniac?”

“Fuck your god, Brock!” Carlton spat. “Sorry if I don’t share your narrow manichaean point of view most of humans now sadly have! **_I_ ** ’m not arrogant enough to believe myself able to distinguish good from evil humans! **_I_ ** don’t… assess if someone deserves to live or die! Or to suffer! Don’t think I didn’t hear you back at the hospital. If I have a God complex, let me tell you, Brock, you’re way more struck than me!”

The reporter was about to hit back when a concerned symbiote began to wriggle a tendril inside one of his ears.

**What? I didn’t check that! Lemme check your ears and your god complex, Eddie.**

“Ugh, V…” Eddie whined in reluctance.

A painful, sickening twinge hurt Carlton’s weak human heart. This perfect, harmonic symbiosis should have happened between him and Riot! Not between these two dorks! The first should be already shot dead and rotting in some wood while the other should have followed Riot in his conquest of Earth! It should have been Carlton’s paradise! Yet it was Brock’s.

No.

It wasn’t his fault if his plans had failed.

Neither was Riot’s.

It was all that muckraking pain in the ass Brock!

Had he known his loser place, Brock wouldn’t have stolen Venom, they wouldn’t have destroyed Carlton’s rocket, his lifetime work, his dream, his relationship with Riot!

It was the fault of that sappy stick-to-ethics Skirth who didn’t know to shut her mouth! You worked in a experiments lab, you dumb bitch! If you held ethics so dear, why didn’t you apply as a lawyer, or more laughable, as a judge? Next to counsellor Weying? You’d have formed a solid pair of naggers! Just like Brock and his aberrant friend!  Except Carlton had managed to kill Skirth while Brock was still alive! If only Riot was still here, Carlton could have ripped Brock and his deviant symbiote into bleeding shreds! Riot…

So that was the outcome of his dearly held dream of symbiotes combined with humans? The son of a bitch who’d taken everything from him, just like humans LOVE to take, take take!, and the only deviant symbiote besotted with a human? Yuck. Such a pathetic dream come true! But the more pathetic was… Carlton was jealous of them!

 

_You’ve taken everything from me._

_You’ve taken everything!_

 

“YOU’VE TAKEN EVERYTHING FROM ME!” He yelled his lungs out, secretly hoping despite the obvious it’d make Riot magically emerge from his skin.

He gripped on startled Eddie’s collar and slammed him on the wall. The bastard was heavy. Barely realizing it, Carlton savagely sank his teeth into Eddie’s neck and tried to tear the flesh off in raging wolf-like grumbles.

“OW!! Ow, for fuck sake!! That fucking hurts! Dammit!!” Eddie shrieked in pain. He managed to punch his assailant away thanks to his wrapped in thick gooey blackness hand. “Thanks, V.”

**You’re welcome, sweetie.**

“What’s your fucking problem, man? Forgot you no longer have alien drooling fangs? Fuck, I didn’t need that kind of tattoo.” Eddie rubbed his pierced with toothprints skin.

**Don’t touch it! I’ll take care of it.**

Drake wiped his mouth. Blinked in horrifying disbelief.

Yes. For a moment, he’d forgotten Riot was gone. Yet, he still had his beloved one’s instincts. Was he _that_ much in love? Before Riot, Carlton had never attacked by himself. He would always let his henchmen, his employees, anyone else but him do the dirty work. Before Riot, Carlton’s hands had never been red. Technically. And now Riot was gone, Carlton realized… Eddie Brock was the only person he’d ever attacked on his own. No Treece, no Life foundation staff, no symbiote’s help… just him Carlton Drake directly assaulting someone.

As Venom was healing him, Eddie kept his eyes locked on the disheveled ex-queen of symbiotes. The latter spat one tooth and droplets of blood as his slender body was trembling with rage and his dark Bambi eyes filled with furious tears. A part of Eddie didn’t believe that guy was the same who used to remain so calm and composed all the time even when threatening or killing people, even when a alien and possibly organs-nibbling predator had chosen his body as home. He hadn’t even flinched or protested when Eddie told him Riot probably was slowly killing him from inside. Back then Eddie even had expected an “I don’t care if my symbiote eats my organs.” from the space invading CEO. It was like death and murder were a trifle to Carlton Drake. Even his own. The Carlton Drake the reporter knew was insufferably composed, overconfident, manipulative and above all, always in control. Control of his life and, if Riot’s plan had succeeded, his death. That went with the life and death of everyone linked to Life foundation too of course. Now, Drake had lost control. Even of his emotions or his clothing. Eddie had saved him from suicide and yet it was like Eddie had killed Carlton Drake.

 **Will you stop feeling sorry for that monster, Eddie?** Venom accused his host.

“I do what I want of my feelings, V!” The latter replied. “You’re the best example of it.” He playfully smirked. If symbiotes could blush, Eddie could have sworn Venom was doing it right now.

“I don’t need your two-bit moral…” Carlton tried to sneer though the dribbling out blood. “... or your icky pity, Brock.” He wiped again his blood-stained lips. “You should have thought of that… before.”

“I wonder if _you_ ever felt pity for someone before.” Eddie retorted.

**Oooh! That’s so savage, Eddie! I like it!**

“What? No. I’m really curious about it.”

“Why do you care?” Carlton chuckled. “Since our first conversation you want to end me! You whine about me trying to kill you while _you_ also tried to kill _me_ ! Where was your pity then? You charge me with murder while _you_ murder as well! Where’s your stupid pity off to when your chomp on shoplifters’ heads? _I_ wonder that!”

**Mmh. He has a point, Eddie.**

“You’re joking??”

**I hate him but we must admit he’s right here.**

“Wha-??” Eddie squeaked in shock.

 **So… we must cast aside our pity and eat his head!** The hungry symbiote opened up his teeth-full mouth and uncoiled his thick tongue.

“Shit, Venom! No!”

 **That was worth a try.** He closed his disappointed mouth.

“At least _my_ murders served a purpose.” Drake injected his venom into the reporter’s ears. “But unfortunately… these people died for nothing... because of _you_ , Brock.”

Eddie lost it.

He let his symbiote husband cover his body.

**NOW THAT’S REALLY ENOUGH!**

Venom growled and ran to Drake, at last allowed to devour that son of a bitch!

Until…


	8. Chapter 8

Through his symbiote milky-white eyes, Eddie discerned a smile of satisfaction on Drake’s bleeding mouth.

“Wait! Venom! Stop!” He ordered.

**Ugh! What is it this time?** The symbiote complained before draining back into his host’s brain.

“What it is, is for the last time, he  _ wants  _ you to kill him! We can’t give him what he wants! We can’t… give him control again!” Eddie explained.

**If** **_you_ ** **’re in control then why do you have no clue about what doing with him?**

“Just… give me time. Ok? I promise I’ll figure out something. Until then, I’ll buy you all the choco you want.”

**Yes. Chocolate.** The gourmet alien salivated internally.

Eddie huffed out. No more bickering with Venom for the next days. One problem solved. As for the other, thornier problem… Oh no. Not that! Not that kind of shit on top of more shit!

Drake was sitting on the couch, head between his shaking hands, and… crying? He accidentally looked up. Tears rolled down his smooth cheeks. Oh son of a- How could such a rotten guy look so… cute?

**Are you serious??**

_ Shut up. You are cute too. _

**So are you, Eddie.**

The junk food eater sat next to the weeping Bambi. He hesitantly put his hand on the quivering shoulders.

“Uh… I know that feels inappropriate but…” He started.

**Yes, it DOES!**

Eddie hissed.

“If… if I can do anything…” He clumsily carried on. “Except killing you of course…”

“I’m a villain to you, Brock. Am I not? Then why won’t you finish me? Why do you suddenly feel sorry for me?” Carlton asked in a blank voice, his eyes locked on the floor.

“If only I could answer that…” Eddie tried to laugh. He noticed Drake didn’t try to slap his hand away. Should he…? Could he? 

Slowly, carefully, as cautiously as walking on a minefield, he placed his whole arm around the sad-eyed scientist’s shoulders. Again, Drake didn’t blow him off.

**Eddie, you don’t intend to…?**

“Come here…” He softly whispered.

Without notice, Carlton wrapped his arms around Eddie’s solid waist and buried his nose in the neck he’d crunched a few minutes ago. He really was pathetic. Crying on his enemy’s shoulder…  _ Humans are pathetic creatures. _

He let Eddie hug him back. Not even a hint of resistance.

“Hey… It’s ok.” Eddie whispered. He remembered Dan’s warm hug when both of them had confessed to each other. He couldn’t help smiling.

**Dan is way nicer than Drake! Don’t you dare replacing him!**

_ You crazy? I’d never…! Why would I…? That’s so terrible I won’t waste my thoughts on such bullshit! I won’t replace no one! I just try to be nice! _

**Nice to a monster like him?**

_ Yes! Even to a monster like him! Are you going to interrupt me all day?  _ Eddie internally quarreled his alien husband as he was softly caressing his assaulter’s back. _ If I… if  _ **we** _ want to be different from people like Drake, we have to act different from him, you understand? _

**So… no killing anymore?** Venom deducted.

_ Wha…? No! Of course we’ll keep on… We kill bad guys to save people. That’s quite different from mass-murdering all humanity in the name of ecology! No! We… _

**Eddie. Are you trying to figure out excuses to kill people just like Drake?**

_ No! I… You know what? Fuck off! I have a baby deer to pamper! _

**Ugh! You’re a total retard, Eddie.** Venom sighed.

_ That’s why you love me, baby. _

Eddie heard some faint snigger.

“Look at me, Brock. Look how… laughable and senseless the situation I’m in is.” Carlton lamented. “The man who almost killed me is kind with me… while Riot… the only light of my life…” A lump blocked his throat. “He abandoned me. Left me for dead. Like... garbage.”

“Yeah…” Eddie almost naturally stroked the ink dark (and surprisingly smooth) hair. “I know the feeling.” He remembered when Anne had dumped him like she’d her cardboard box on the sidewalk.

**She likes you again, Eddie.**

_ I know, sweetheart. I just… couldn’t help comparing. _

Out of the blue, Drake punched him hard in the face.

“Ow!”

“That’s for poking your nose into business you can’t take in!” He screamed and punched Eddie one more time. “That’s for dooming the planet with a growing human cancer!” He spat blood on Eddie’s face before he punched again. “And that’s for ruining the only time I ever felt love!”

**Eddie…**

_ V, no. Let me handle it. _

He caught Drake’s wrist. As expected, he was stronger than the thin mad scientist whose eyes looked bloodshot and ready to blow up.

“As my Annie would say:  _ you  _ did this.  _ You  _ brought it to yourself.” The nose-bleeding reporter asserted.

“Your Annie, huh? If you don’t kill me, Brock, I’ll make out to find her... and kill her.” He grinned with insanity. “I still have a few faithful henchmen. Then you’ll really know what’s like to lose what you love.”

“Ok, first: clean up your mouth. Second: Annie gobbled up  _ all  _ your guys. Sorry by the way. And even so, you have no way to contact any hitman. No phone, no computer, nothing. And V and me would stop you anyway.” Eddie wiped his nose and sniffled. “But I guess that’s what you want.”

Carlton was cornered. Helpless. Hopeless. Alone. If he couldn’t die here and now, what to do? What to do?? He felt so lost, so desperate…

His brain shorted out.

He grabbed the puzzled reporter’s collar and passionately kissed him.

To the black symbiote’s hot rage.


	9. Chapter 9

Venom rolled out his boa-constrictor-like tongue and shoved it deep into Carlton’s throat.

**WHO GAVE YOU THE PERMISSION TO KISS** **_MY_ ** **EDDIE???** The unamused alien raged before rooting out his monstrous tongue in a wet sound from Drake’s mouth. The deposed CEO crashed down on his knees, a hand on his throat and loud gasps coming out.

“V! What the fuck??” Eddie scolded again. “Who the fuck gave  _ you  _ the permission to rape people’s mouths like that?”

**You did. Once.**

“Shut up!” Eddie blushed. “Did I, this time? For God’s sake… Hey, are you alr-?”

“Oh my… God…” A breathless Life foundation creator panted out. “And that’s only… a glimpse… of alien sex…” He suddenly gave Eddie a quite disturbing and lusty glare. “What comes… next?... Eddie…” Carlton stared at him as if craving to do very very dirty things with him. “Show me… show me how you mate… with a symbiote…” He crawled dangerously closer to the ill-feeling reporter. “Venom… do it again… please… shove your thick and slimy tongue... down my throat again… shove your tongue… everywhere… anywhere inside…”

Now Eddie was sure, Drake definitely had lost his marbles! And maybe so did he, cause his dick had grown as hard as iron after the mad scientist’s pleas! 

**I can’t believe it! Anything turns you on, Eddie! Even guys who tried to kill you! Wait… Maybe danger turns you on! Just like back on that road chase! Danger makes you horny, Eddie!**

“Won’t you ever shut up?” Eddie begged more than ordered.

**Especially when ‘danger’ looks so hot! Isn’t that right, Eddie? He’s crazy but you still think Drake is hot!**

“Shut up!” Eddie screamed.

“A lovers’ quarrel? If you don’t want Venom anymore, Brock, I’ll have him… more. than. gladly.” 

**I’ll NEVER leave Eddie! Never! Let alone for insane genocidal maniacs like you!** The symbiote’s head stretched out to yell at Carlton who didn’t shudder a bit.

Instead, a bit of drool dribbled from the corner of his mouth.

“Take me, Venom… Take me from behind, front, up and down… pound me, glue me to death!” Carlton begged.

**NO! I want to eat you, not pound you!**

“Eat my rear first…”

Venom grabbed the horny ex-CEO by the collar and threw him to the floor.

**I won’t do anything to you except killing you! But since Eddie forbid me to, just stay down here and SHUT THE HELL UP!** Venom roared so loudly drool droplets dripped on a delighted Drake’s face.

“Venom! The neighbors will hear, dammit!” Eddie complained.

“Won’t you, dear Venom? Won’t you?” Carlton kept on. “If you don’t thrust your sweet tentacles up all of my holes, do you know what I’ll do?” He stared at the intrigued alien with these infuriating, deep-brown, shimmering eyes. “I’ll lock you up again. Test on you again. You will burn up again. You  _ know  _ I can do that, don’t you?”

“V, don’t listen! He’s bluffing. Poorly on top of that.” Eddie warned his alien husband.

“I’ll hire new henchmen, they’ll hunt you, catch you and I will bake you to a crisp and freeze you to an icicle again.” Carlton threatened, eyes locked on the symbiote’s.

Venom began to tremble.

“Don’t listen to him! He can’t do that! Not anymore!” Eddie pleaded.

“Also, my dear symbiote, I’ll capture Anne…” Carlton seductively whispered.

**Anne…**

“V! No!” 

“And fill her with rifle bullets. Until she dies.” He calmly ended his sentence.

**DON’T TOUCH ANNE! I’LL FILL YOU BEFORE YOU CAN FILL HER!**

Oh for fuck sake, did Venom just scream  _ that _ ? Eddie got appalled.

He was more appalled by what Venom was about to do. Especially now the symbiote was so pissed off Eddie could no longer control him.

Black wet tentacles tore off Carlton’s shirt -well Eddie’s- and shoved down the satisfied scientist’s throat the thickest of them. The symbiote-addicted nymphomaniac groaned in pleasure.

_ Yes! Deeper! _

The ferocious alien tentacle was wriggling and grating the insides of his throat. It felt gross but good as the same time.

**ALL of your holes, you said? Very well.** Venom rolled a tendril around the edge of the white pants and soon ripped it apart.

_ No, V… You ain’t actually going to-? _

**You bet I am!** The revengeful symbiote replied before he severely spanked a scientist’s soft backside.

The scientist squeaked. The large tentacle still stuffing his mouth. Tears already dropped out of his amber eyes. The cruel symbiote sharply spanked him again. He moaned even more.

Eddie’s small soldier twitched. He wanted to stop Venom but also, as ashamed he was, wanted to see where that scene could lead. Like with what happened with Dan, but a thousand times wilder and hotter.

Large wet tentacles slowly encircled and soon bounded to stillness Carlton’s body. Except for tiny shivers creeping under his hungry skin.

_ Grind me! Crush me! Break my bones! I’m nothing compared to a wonderful creature like you!  _

**Finally you become sensible, Drake! But flattery won’t stop me from destroying you! Piece by piece.**

Carlton felt like a thick, wet, smooth alien snake glossing between his buttcheeks. He trembled. With excitement. With craving!

_ Yes! Yes!! Shove it in!  _ He yearned to scream but couldn’t because of the living gag clogging his mouth.

Of course, the vindictive symbiote didn’t obey. Instead, Venom’s glossed his giant black bean underneath his victim’s intimate jewels.

Shit! Carlton didn’t expect the hard tentacle to feel that hot on the thin skin of his balls. He groaned; a more throaty groan this time. A hentai-like wet monster was gliding under and burning up his sack. And it felt so fucking good! Drool dripped from the corner of his full mouth.

_ Shove it! Shove it!! SHOVE IT!!! _

**WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP??** Venom impatiently growled and clutched the fragile jaw of his sub between his strong claws.

The sub moaned. Both out of fear and of pleasure.

**I didn’t stuff your puny mouth to have you screaming in my head! Got it??**

“Venom! That’s enough now! Let him go!” A blushing hot Eddie ordered despite the stiffness in his pants.

_ No! Let him drill me to death!  _ Drake internally begged.

**No, Eddie! That’s not e-!** The resentful alien started to protest until an epiphany nailed him. **Wait…** **Yes… You’re right. That’s enough**. Venom finally agreed and drew all of his nasty tendrils back to his black mass. 

“Phew… At last.” Eddie huffed out in relief.

_ I was close to jerk off.  _

“Ah… No. No! Venom, please…” The neglected rocket maker begged after a nasty cough. “Please… more… please!” He crawled on his four, naked, bowing before the symbiote. 

**No more for you! You have been a bad boy! Besides, I penetrate only the people I love!** The dom gazed at his beloved host who just felt really awkward to both hear V using the p-word in front of Carlton fucking Drake and have the latter totally naked, walking like a whining dog in front of him! And fuck! Those big, wide, glowing, glimmering, imploring, unbearably precious caramel-colored baby deer eyes locked on him! The memory that guy was a cruel misanthropic maniac almost left Eddie’s brain. How in the world could he not be hypnotized and fascinated by those inhumanly adorable -and now pouring out with warm tears- eyes? 

Carlton’s head almost fell off on the floor. Soft whimpers escaped against his will. But what could he still do on his will now?

“You both… ruined it all.” He mumbled. “You… Earth is doomed because of you. You talk of… morals… compassion… yet… you seem to… enjoy… relish… to torture me… ugh…” He covered his wet face with a hand. “Do you… do you even realize… how lucky you are… Eddie?” He added in a creaking voice.

“Wh-What?” The dumbfounded reporter questioned.

_ How am I lucky to have the guy who tried to kill me crying and full naked in front of me? _

Carlton snorted.

“You kept whining… about losing your girlfriend.... because of me. And look at you now...” He stared back at Eddie with the same beautiful, glittering eyes. “A girl and a boyfriend… a symbiote… for a life partner… how wonderful… must it feel in bed… with a symbiote…”

The word symbiote reminded him of Riot. His dominating, powerful, ruthless Riot. Carlton would have killed all of humanity just to feel Riot’s tentacles inside of him. Even  _ that  _ had been denied to him. He slammed his face against the wooden floor.

“Wow! What you doi-?” Eddie flinched in worry. 

Before he heard heartbreaking and miserable sobs.

“Riot…” Carlton wailed. “I wish… I  _ wish  _ he was deviant…” He admitted. “Don’t give a fuck…” He spat. “...if that makes me lowly… or gross…” He trembled. As much out of sorrow as of cold.

Despite all the shit the naked bastard had put him -and a lot of other people- through, Eddie wanted to hug and comfort him. He just couldn’t help. Also give him other clothes.

**But Eddie…**

And screw Venom’s opinion! They weren’t going to eat or kill him, period!

**We’ll have to talk about it, you know that?**

_ When you pay back my shirt you’ve shredded like paper!  _

**You didn’t buy it! Anne gave it to you!**

_ We’ll talk! Alright? Just not now! Not while there is a naked, weeping guy in my house, in front of me! _

Venom replied with a tired sigh.

“Hey…” Eddie softly called. “Uh… try to calm down, ok? It’s… it’s alright.” He dared to touch a quivering shoulder. Drake’s skin felt pleasantly warm. How would it feel if… if they…?

**I’m starting to think you’re an emotional dependent nympho, Eddie.**

_ And  _ I’m  _ starting to think you watch way too much medical drama. _

**You agree with me though.**

_ I agree more over the fact he presently needs help! _

 


	10. Chapter 10

Carlton remained silent as his head down.

“Hey, come on. You can’t stay like that.” Eddie tried to smile. “Let’s find you other clothes at least.”

“You’ve destroyed my grey shirt. Just like you’ve destroyed what I shared with Riot…” Carlton stared into space. His magnificent brown eyes were circled in faded red. One tear sank over his cheek before it pitifully dripped off his chin.

Absent-mindedly, Eddie tried to wipe it away with the back of his hand. Before he remembered he wasn’t caressing Anne’s or Dan’s face! The depressed Bambi-eyed human looked at him, as surprised -albeit less shocked- as the reporter. Eddie turned even more shocked when Drake, again, didn’t protest or shove him back. Instead, the latter gazed at the puzzled reporter’s hand with a look of curiosity and a hint a endearment on his face. He smiled. He was prettier when he smiled.

That’s what Eddie thought.

**You’re hopeless, Eddie.**

_That’s why you stayed with me, darling._

The dark-starred eyeballs stared back at him. Two whole shiny, golden universes ready to drown in.

**Universe doesn’t look like that.**

_Well, it should._ Eddie assessed as he was bending closer to Drake and his ‘Trust-in-me’ eyes.

Which Carlton soon closed. As if to… No! No, no, no! Eddie was about to commit the worst mistake of his life! No! He wasn’t going to…

_V! Help me!_

**You’ve put yourself into this shit willingly. You’re on your own now.**

Now, of all moments, Venom decided to let him down! Shit… how could he avoid these piercing, gleaming, wonderful eyes? 

 _Quick! Look down! Fuck! Not at his-!_ Eddie felt like a simmering pressure-cooker ready to explode with boiling hot water! He looked a bit up. Gilded skin, small patches of hairs, chocolate-brown nipples… _Fuck, fuck, fuck! Why is he hot here too?_ Eddie internally lamented.

 **Why are** ** _you_** **attracted to everyone?** Venom retorted.

 _You live in my fucking brain! I bet_ you _know why!_

**Yes. But I won’t tell you.**

Shit. Eddie couldn’t help looking back at Carlton’s blood and drool-stained yet perfect face. Nor could he to get closer and closer. Or to shut his own eyes. Expecting anything but- 

A soft and tender landing of his lips against his yesterday enemy’s.

Carlton’s lips felt hesitating, unsure. Eddie kindly invited them to go on. They were warm and smooth. So nice to feel Eddie didn’t even have to picture Anne or Dan while kissing. 

Carlton pushed a little over. Not sharply, just to notify he didn’t intend to finish. Not immediately. Even though he’d never kissed anyone before. Not on the mouth. And his first -maybe only!- had to be Eddie Brock! And Eddie Brock had to have the most luscious and softest lips in the world! Should he consider himself lucky to kiss such lips? All Carlton knew was he liked it. Despite what Brock had done to him, he liked kissing him. He cupped the reporter rough cheek, deepening the kiss, daring to put some tongue. Which soon met another tongue. The delicious symbiote’s? No, just a regular, small, human tongue. Slowly licking his own and his lips. Carlton felt like a push on the back of his head. Eddie had put his hand in the Life foundation former CEO’s hair. 

Drake’s mouth tasted like blood and drugs. Not very appetizing but the softness of his lips compensated. The tiny moans were cute too. 

Then, in a long breath in, Carlton broke the kiss. He panted for a moment. That kiss seemed to have sucked out his remaining strength. Suddenly, it went all black. The naked scientist collapsed in Eddie’s arms.

“Wow.” The latter yelped.

He stopped moving for a few moments, appreciating a beautiful and warm body against his own and wondering what in the world had just happened.

 **Is he dead?** Venom asked, with an open impatience and clear joy in his voice.

Eddie wanted to tell him off again but thought it’d be more important to check and answer to that question. He slowly stroked Carlton’s back, enjoying the smooth and warm skin. He paused. Under his fingers and palm he felt, with a strange relief, the lively beating of the naked billionaire’s heart and a faint but steady breathing.

**It’d been better and simpler for everyone if he had died right now. You know that, Eddie.**

“But he didn’t.” Eddie retorted. “Now, if you please, help me to get him back on the bed.”

**Oh no, out of question! I’m tired to help a guy you still hated the guts of yesterday!**

Eddie grunted in annoyance. He managed to make his homicidal sleeping beauty’s head softly drop against his shoulder, caught the shoulders on one arm and the thighs on the other. Luckily, Eddie was a working-out adept, so even without the help of a sulking symbiote it wasn’t that hard to lift up Drake. He put him back to bed and, above all, hastily covered the nudity between Drake’s legs. Then, instead of promptly calling a doctor, like sweet Dan for example, Eddie stood for a moment, longingly gazing at the figure laying in his own bed. Carlton Drake could be a misanthropic, murderous, manipulative megalomaniac, he really looked damn cute and pretty when he was sleeping.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie calls his favorite doctor.

“Eddie?” A mellow medical voice answered his call.

“Hey Dan.” Eddie genuinely smiled. Just hearing Dan’s voice relieved his anxiety. “How’s work?”

“More and more scannings today.” Dan answered, with something in his voice that brought out the doctor’s worry of reminding bad memories to his boyfriend.

“Alright, I… I hope I’m not bothering…”

“You never bother me, Eddie.” Dan honestly replied.

“Oh...uh…” Eddie blushed. He wasn’t used to such a direct kindness. Even Annie always remained elusive when she was flirting. What did he want to ask Dan again?

“And…” The doctor sounded like he’d just remembered something important. “...we’re still looking for a patient who’s mysteriously escaped yesterday. I think you know him. Carlton Drake.”

Eddie silently gulped.

**Great. You really got us in trouble, Eddie!**

Who  _ wanted to gobble him up in the first place huh? Don’t you think we’d be in a little worse trouble if Dan saw a bed soaked with blood? _

“Do you know… where he could be now?” Dan hesitatingly asked the panicking reporter.

“What? Uh… no. No. Sorry.” Eddie almost dropped off his phone, as if it was burning coal.

“Eddie…” Dan insisted with the serious tone of disappointed mother. “I know you want to do what you think is the best, and I love you for that…”

_ I love you too, Dan. I love you so much!  _ Eddie yearned to scream but kept it down for he felt like it’d be inappropriate.

“But sometimes… what you think is the best… is not the right thing to do.”

**Oh shit. He figured it out.**

“Eddie, you have to think before you do something. Ugh...” Dan sighed. “I know you hated Drake but that’s not a reason to… to just… do what you want and think people around you won’t notice.”

**Wow. Now he really sounds like your mom.**

_ Shut up!  _ Eddie cursed as he dreadfully knew what Dan was meaning. So dreadfully he felt his pants weren’t going to stay dry for long.

“Listen, you’re the last person who visited Drake before he disappeared. And he just  _ can’t  _ have escaped on his own! And I know what your... symbiote is able of!”

“...”

“Eddie… did you…?” Dan’s voice now sounded sad and sorry. As if he was forcing himself to speak. “Did you kill Carlton Drake?” He finally let it out.

“What? NO!!” Eddie immediately denied in a shocked squeak. “No! I didn’t…! I-I didn’t!”

“Eddie… I love you and I won’t let anyone hurt you, but the hospital needs… _ I  _ need the truth.” Dan admitted. “He was my patient.”

“I. Did not. Kill. Carlton Drake.  _ That’s  _ the truth, Dan.” Eddie pronounced, hurt by such an accusation from the man he loved.

“Ok, I believe you, Eddie.” Dan sounded relieved. “Sorry if I sounded… cold to you.”

“No, Dan. Don’t be… You just made a logical deduction. I’d have done the same.”

“Do you know what happened to Drake then?”

“No I…” Eddie started then changed his mind. He was tired to put into trouble and lie to the people he loved. “He’s here, Dan.”

“Wha-? Sorry?” The doctor almost choked.

“He’s here. In my apartment. He… he tried to kill himself with the morphine drip. I-I didn’t think… no nurse was coming and… I-I’ve asked Venom’s help to save him.”

“Eddie…” Dan sighed in exhaustion.

“I-I know! I should’ve thought better! B-but I freaked out, I…! I didn’t know what to do and…! I-I couldn’t let the people in the hospital see Venom! I… I didn’t want people to get killed... or have Venom taken from me! I… I…” Eddie’s eyes itched as tears ran down his face. 

“Eddie, calm down ok?” Dan said in his usual soft voice as Venom was licking the tears off his crybaby of a host. “Is it why you called me?”

“Uh… yes.” Eddie admitted.

“How is he?”

“Uh… he…” Eddie sniffled and wiped his remaining tears. “He threw up the morphine in my bathroom and he…” He tried to make up a story that would skip the alien porn and the bloody kiss. “He tried to bite me to death, then he sobbed and… he collapsed.”

“Ok. These are common effects of a morphine overdose.”

“Really??” Eddie, aghast, remembered the kiss.

“Yes, nausea, irritability, consciousness loss…” Dan enumerated.

“Oh. Right.” Eddie strangely sighed in relief. 

“Did you pay attention to his fingers or his lips?” 

**Yes. A bit TOO much to my taste!** “Uh, no. No, I didn’t.” Eddie lied.  **He did and he LOVED it!** “Wh-why?”

“Because if he had an overdose, the tip of his fingers or his lips should look a bit blue. I’d like you to take a look, Eddie.”

Why did it sound so wrong and shocking to hear his boyfriend asking you to look at another man’s lips?

“I guess you didn’t pay attention to his eyes, either.” Dan assumed.

**Yes, he did that too! And thinks these are the most gorgeous and beautiful eyes he’s ever seen!**

“W-well, not really. Why?”

“His pupils should look small if the overdose is severe.”

“A-alright.”

“Call me back if you notice these symptoms. And make him eat and drink. No alcohol of course.”

Why did Eddie felt like a father being told by his wife how to take of their child?

Venom snorted.

“Ok. Ok. Thank you, Dan. Thank you, you’re… you’re the best doctor. I-I love you. I love you very much. I’ll call you back.” Eddie hanged up.

 


	12. Chapter 12

He barely had time to breathe a dreadful shriek pierced Eddie’s ears. It sounded like the screams of a laboring woman mixed with the screeches of wildcat in heat. The frightened reporter still ran to his own bedroom taken by another man. He opened wide the door and saw a sitting, shivering and sobbing ex-rocketeer on his bed. Drake was also panting as if he’d just run a marathon. 

“Hey, you alright?” 

Carlton shifted at once towards the guy talking to him like a prey looks for the source of a physical threat. 

_Stay away! Leave me alone! I won’t give you Venom back!_

Eddie flinched. He hoped he wasn’t going to deal with a devil possessed Carlton Drake. A regular, normal Carlton Drake already was insane enough. But the shivering -and still naked!- outcast scientist slowly looked away.

 _Wait… I’m not… He is…_ He _is Eddie Brock. Not me. Why…? How…? How could I dream of Eddie Brock’s memories?_ Carlton wondered and stared at his shaking hands in order to check he really wasn’t Eddie Brock but the man who used to hunt him down. _That means… the fear, the fright I’m feeling right now… are…_ were _Eddie’s?_ Carlton put his hands over his wet with cold tears face. He whimpered. Shit, he was so… scared. He’d never felt that scared before. Or maybe… when Riot threw him- He didn’t have the time to finish his inner sentence he felt large hands grabbing his shoulders. Carlton’s first reflex was to struggle away from that grip and slap hard the molester. 

“Ow! Come on, I just want to help!” A familiar yet annoying voice replied. 

The guy Carlton was feeling the feelings of. Eddie Brock.

“I have to look at your face!” Brock justified himself before crushing Carlton’s face between his rough hands.

Drake struggled like a frightened animal again; trying in small rabbit-like squeaks to vainly escape Eddie’s strong hold. The hold of his hands and the hold of his eyes. Eddie was staring at him as if searching for something. For what? Carlton didn’t care! He just wanted to run from him before being hurt!

The tiny squeaks and the wet, terrified Bambi eyes tore Eddie’s heart in half. What’s more, thick, near-spherical tears now poured out of these fathomless dark eyes, covering, soaking Eddie’s hands.

“Hey, listen. Listen!” He urged a bit too harshly his unintended patient who desperately looked for a way out with no care in the world for his nakedness.

_ Leave me alone! Let me go! Let me go! I want to leave!! _

“Hey, look at me. Look at me.” Eddie murmured, softly caressing Carlton’s face back in front of his, wiping away the thick tears and combing back the few damp hair in the process.

Drake yelped. His brown glimmering eyes grew wide, as wide and round as tennis balls. He stopped breathing.

“Look at me.” Eddie kindly repeated. “Look into my eyes, ok?” He tried to sound as gentle as he could and to stroke away the neverending tears from the trembling baby deer face. “It’s ok. It’s ok.” He whispered.

Then, lost and drowning into these hypnotic and heart-smashing eyes, forgetting about the symptom he was supposed to look for, Eddie remembered what Dan had done when he and Venom had freaked out in the MRI. He caressed Carlton’s cheek again. “No one’s gonna hurt you, ok? Just look at me.” He gently whispered.

Carlton obeyed. What else could he do?

“Ok. Now try to… take a deep breath. Like me.” Eddie huffed in, as if sniffing on some drugs.

Carlton tried to do the same but half-failed due to his erratic breath.

“Alright. Let’s do it again.” 

Carlton tried again, with more success this time.

“Great.” Eddie couldn’t help smiling. “Now, same but slowlier.”

Carlton closed his eyes -had he always worn these cute long eyelashes? Eddie wondered- and took a long and slow breath in. Two fresh tears dripped down. Then he breathed out. He actually felt a bit better afterwards. Even his tears seemed to calm down.

“Feeling better, right?” Eddie guessed. “It happens to me too, those anxiety fits. Not funny at all.”

Carlton knew that already. He’d just dreamt of it. Dreamt of Eddie Brock getting panic attacks because of an unidentified and cannibalistic organism living in his head and possessing his body, and of a space directed foundation -Carlton’s foundation- chasing him like a rabbit to torture and kill him. 

Then, staring at the glittering blue eyes, he remembered. Brock had abducted him, keeping him from suicide, then they’d fought, and they had k-… Shit, his depressive thoughts additionned to other people’s fright… and to the appalling realization he’d made out with his enemy…! Too much! It was too much! Too much misery to handle in only one body. He knew he’d look more pathetic than ever but couldn’t help bursting into tears again. On Brock’s shoulder.

Great. Now Carlton Drake was soaking his clothes with tears. Eddie thought as he was patting the depressed Bambi’s head.

**Hm. Not really what I had in mind.** Venom commented, sounding disappointed.

_ What do you mean, ‘you had in mind’? _

**Nothing. Not important.**

_ Venom? _

**Alright! I thought that if we can’t kill him, at least we should make him feel what he made** **_you_ ** **feel! What he made** **_me_ ** **feel! What he made all the people he tested on feel!**

_ What? You mean…? _

**The fear, the pain, the cold, the heat, the despair… everything. I thought you’d like it, Eddie!**

_ No, that’s… that’s utterly terrible, Venom! _

**Not as terrible as what he did! I simply threw him back the consequences of his deeds.**

_ Not the point, Venom! Jeez… It really sucks to do this!  _ Eddie scolded as he was hugging Carlton’s tighter, to the Klyntar’s dismay.

**But it was** **_your_ ** **idea, Eddie. When that jackass still hunted you down like some boar and you discovered his little lab tests, you kept repeating how he should feel what all these poor people felt! What Maria felt!**

_ How dare you use Maria to…? _ Eddie started then remember the hatred he’d felt for Drake when he saw Maria in one of these sick spaceship-like pods. And the oven heat cooking his body from inside when the symbiote bonded to him. Meaning Maria and Venom were literally freezing in their glass cell. And the man responsible for that torture was weeping in Eddie’s arms. Anger surged up again. He huffed out. No. Enough is enough. His hand slowly stroked the black hair.  _ I was… angry… and desperate back then, V. You’ll learn humans say many things when they’re angry. Things they don’t necessarily mean. _

**Like the parasite slur?**

_ Yeah, like the parasite slur.  _ Eddie smiled and enjoyed the smoothness of Drake’s hair.

**I still don’t understand. Why wouldn’t you have a villain feeling what he did to his victims? That’s just fair!**

_ As incredible it may sound to you, and me, I don’t want anyone to live what I’ve… what  _ **we** _ have lived! Not even crackpots like him! Even if they deserve it! And even so, it won’t change what happened! _

**You don’t say that just because you think Drake is a cute little baby deer?**

_ Sh-shut up!  _ Eddie blushed.  _ You’re in my head, V. You know I mean it! _

**I don’t know if I should feel fortunate or ill-fated to have such a sweet and kind host like you, Eddie.**

_ Your host, your choice, V.  _  The host retorted as the nude in his arms kept on trembling and weeping.

“Help me…” The shivering Bambi breathed in a creaking voice.

“Uh?” The voice was so faint Eddie wasn’t sure he’d heard it.

“Help me, Riot… I-I’m scared…” Carlton breathed, a painful lump blocking his throat.

What? But Riot was… Where was Riot by the way? Eddie wondered for the first time.

**If Riot was still here, I would sense it. Means he’s either dead or very very far away now.**

_ Great. Let’s just hope he won’t gobble many people on his way. _

“Riot…” Carlton whined. “Save me… I’m gonna die… Please… help me…” He moaned against Eddie’s shoulder. “Don’t leave me… please…”

The sensitive reporter felt like a twinge in his heart. Felt like he was on the verge of tears too. He hugged the ex CEO tighter and nuzzled the night-black hair. 

**Is it what you call ‘empathy’, Eddie?**

“I’m sorry… sorry for disappointing you…” Drake sobbed. 

_ I’m sorry for disappointing you, Annie! _

“Riot… come back… I…”

_ Shit, don’t say it!!!  _ Eddie prayed any god who could hear him.

“I love you…” Drake breathed in a tiny, creaking voice.

Eddie dared a kiss on Carlton’s temple. Again, no protestation. He caressed the smooth hair again. And then, because the confused reporter had no idea of what else to do, he began to gently rock his sobbing guest. Tightly hugged against him. 


	13. Chapter 13

Shit! Why did that moneybag have to be so… human? The confused reporter had always enjoyed, relished that moment when he was catching the big bad rich boss of this or that obscure company with red hands. Eddie LOVED proving to the world this or that CEO had a few dark secrets to be ashamed of. Well, most of time, they weren’t ashamed at all. Including Carlton Drake. Even though he was currently sobbing his heart out on Eddie’s shoulder, he still didn’t feel any regret about his little lab tests on humans. He probably never would. 

Always the same excuse with that kind of scientist: “necessary sacrifice to lead humankind to progress.” Yeah right. Testing on mice and dogs to then claim the tested drug will work on humans? Testing on junkies and sick-to-death people to claim it’ll work on healthy people? Bullshit. There was a lot of other not very pretty things Eddie liked to uncover for the eyes of the general public but the pharmaceutical and environmental realms were his favorites. Just so much to reveal. So many guys with good intentions but vicious actions.

Even so, regretting would make Carlton Drake more human, which the guy despised and which made Eddie feel really awkward. After all, a few days ago, did he feel any reluctance to kill Drake? On the contrary. He _wanted_ to kill him! It’s easier to kill someone when you tell yourself that guy is not a human being just like you, isn’t it? Easier when you think that guy is just a douchebag who has feelings only for his money. Easier when you think he has no feelings, no emotions, no family, no one out there who loves him. 

Easier when you think he’s… just a villain. Just a murderer. Just a criminal. Just a bad guy.

But bad guys don’t cry. Don’t sob. Don’t love.

And Drake must be the most madly in love guy in the room right now.

Eddie heard another sob. It wasn’t from the naked scientist in his arms.

_Venom? What is it, babe?_

**You’re just… you’re just so sweeeet, Eddie! I thought you were a nice guy but in fact you’re so nice and sweet… you’re sweeter than chocolate, Eddiiiiiie!!** The tearful symbiote wailed.

 _Oh no. Please. Just one guy crying a river on me is too much!_ Eddie complained. _That’s really nice Venom, and I thank you, but please don’t flood my bedroom!_

**But you’re so sweet, Eddie! So sweet your cells must be made out of sugar!**

_Yeah and you’re my black coffee, is that it?_ Eddie snorted.

 **Maybe.** Venom implied in way too sexual tone to the reporter’s taste. 

_Later for the lump melting, ok?_

**Of course! I don’t want to do it in front of him! Let alone** **_with_ ** **him!**

_Wha-? You’re crazy.. Why would I do it with… tha-that’s stupid!_

**Ugh, I know that stutter, Eddie. You made it too when I said I wouldn’t do it with Dan.**

…

 **Don’t worry. I won’t stop you from banging your cute.. uh, how was it?-ah yes!** **_Bambi_ ** **. Just don’t expect me to like it.**

 _I hate you._ Eddie cringed.

**I ‘hate’ you a lot too, baby!**

_Really? Then fetch me a glass of water, please._

**What for? You’re not thirsty.**

_Not for me! For…_ Eddie’s eyes drifted at Drake.

 **Oh, now you want me to be his** **_waiter_ ** **??**

 _I know a symbiote couldn’t care less about the matter, but_ I _don’t want to have a fucking corpse in my home!_

 **Well, you must be the** **_only_ ** **one in that room to wish for that!** Venom retorted, facing his stubborn host.

Host who fiercely glared at him.

 **Ugh. Fine!** The symbiote grumbled before reluctantly stretching a black tendril to the kitchen sink to open the tap. Another thin tendril grabbed a glass on the shelf and put it under the water until it was full. The domestic symbiote rolled them back to his husband’s bedroom. 

“Thanks.”

**Anything for you, sweetheart.**

Eddie couldn’t tell if this was sincere or sarcastic. Either way, his main issue wasn’t Venom for now but the waterfall-sobbing with tiny hiccups -and still naked- man who now was digging his fingers into Eddie’s sweater.

“Riot… Riot…” Carlton’s voice was creaking through the strangling tears.

“I-I don’t think he’s coming back.” Eddie uttered out of the blue.

He instantly regretted it when Drake slowly let go of his grip on Eddie’s now soaked sweater, stopped the fierce hug and backed up a bit. His face clearly was more soaked than the clumsy reporter’s clothes and his beautiful glimmering eyes were redder and more puffed than ever. It smashed Eddie’s heart. Especially while he knew Drake was feeling right now the agony of his adored Riot’s abandonment _and_ the monstrous fright Eddie had felt the day he met Venom. Eddie couldn’t blame him for wanting to die. But still, he wasn’t going to let him do so.

“Sorry.” He honestly apologized, handing the glass to Carlton who quickly looked away from it.

“No, thank you.” Carlton breathed, roughly wiping his tears, and sniffled. He looked down the bed blanket.

“Come on, you don’t want to die of thirst.” Eddie insisted.

“What if I do?” Carlton whined.

 **What you want is irrelevant here! Eddie wants you to live and I’ve gone all the trouble to fetch you water!** **_Clean_ ** **water! I could have taken the toilet water! So YOU’RE GONNA DRINK THAT FUCKING GLASS AT ONCE!** Venom ferociously roared.

“V! The neighbors, god dammit!” Eddie gritted his teeth.

“Your threats don’t do shit on me, Venom.” Carlton threw up the alien’s name.

Eddie strangely felt more shocked by that sudden and unusual crudeness from Carlton Drake than the attack on his alien partner. It was like the deposed founder had been stripped of his posh and swishy mask as he was of his clothes. The smooth and dressed CEO really was gone.

“You can’t eat me but I can still die. Human beings have been so poorly designed after all. I just have to wait for starvation to do its work. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

**Oh yes there is! I think you’re familiar with the concept of forced-feeding, you torturer!**

“V! Not again! Revenge is bad! Shove that in your jellybean head once and for all! And you!” Eddie stared at Drake. “You probably know it but you need to hydrate yourself after watering that many bucks on my sweater!” He showed his soaked top as an incriminating evidence to the uncaring scientist.

“I know it. That’s why I won’t do it.”

“Alright.” Eddie put the glass on the nightstand. “As you wish. Mister Drake.” He stood up.

**Eddie?**

“Come on V. We’ve a lot of a delayed work to deal with.” The zealous reporter turned his back and stretched his arms.

 _A work consisting in ruining people’s lives and hard work. Sweaty bastard._ Carlton thought. _You can shove your glass up your ass. I won’t touch it._ He laid back on the bed, turning his back on the glass of water, patiently -and pointlessly- waiting for him.

 _Riot… come back and_ _eat me._

 

_Please._


	14. Chapter 14

“Oh crap, I forgot the eyes and lips checkup.” Eddie remembered, after a few hours spent on his laptop. He looked at the hour. 0:30 am. “Shit…” He sighed. “What do _I_ have to look after him, anyway? I’m not a doctor, let alone a therapist!” He complained.

 **Because** **_you_ ** **decided to save him and bring him here instead of just letting him kill himself?**

“Ugh! Touché, V.”

 **_To_ ** **\- what?**

“Google it.”

 **Ok.** The intrigued alien typed on the keyboard. **French. Means touched. Well of course I touch you! I live inside your body!**

“Sometimes, V, even language doesn’t make sense.”

**Like those who invented it, I guess. What are you going to do now?**

Eddie heavily sighed.

“Go back and try to convince him again. I guess. Oh! Because Dan asked me to.” The innocence-faking reporter felt forced to add.

 **Of course. Because Dan asked you.** Venom parrotted without buying it one bit.

Eddie opened the door of his own bedroom again. To find a back -a pretty gilded back- turned on him. Drake’s skin was glowing and shining in the orange and pink light shed by the street lamps and neon signs from outside. It prettily mixed with the golden brown of his skin.

 **I suppose it is also** **_Dan_ ** **who asked you to fantasize over Drake’s skin color?**

The blushing host ignored his alien partner’s sarcasm. He stepped closer to the -hopefully- asleep figure.

 **Maybe he’s finally dead.** Venom wished.

Eddie ignored him again. He carefully sat on the bed, bent over and saw an apparently sleeping, serene-looking face. Then, he switched at the bed table. The glass of water was still full.

**I suggest we splash it in his face!**

_You know like me, he has to_ drink _it, not have it splashed in his face._

 **And how do you intend to make him-? Oh. No! Eddie! Are you serious??** The alien growled, as if shocked by some indecency.

 _What? I didn’t say anything yet!_ Eddie protested.

**But you’ve already thought it! Ugh! I give up! You’re hopeless, Eddie!**

_Hey, I’ll do even dirtier, more repulsive things with you later, alright?_

**Hm. Fine. Just hurry.**

_My body, my choice, V._

**Whatever.**

Eddie bent over the naked figure. He cupped Carlton’s cheek to make the sleeping beauty face him. Carlton faintly moaned. He was just dozing, not really sleeping. Perfect for Eddie to do what he intended to. 

 _Gosh, why does he have to be so beautiful?_ Eddie deplored.

He took the glass, sipped a bit of water, held the chin of the drowsy scientist between his thumb and finger, well enough to have the dry mouth slit open. Eddie licked the crackled lips. He heard a faint moan again. He interpreted it as a welcoming from the owner of these parched lips. He softly, almost tenderly, put his own lips over them, and slowly shared the fresh liquid with Carlton Drake. After checking Drake really had swallowed the water, Eddie repeated the -rather kinky- process. The drowsy princess sounded like he didn’t quite loath Eddie Brock’s feeding technique.

Also, there were these heavenly lips…

At this point, keeping Carlton hydrated just was an excuse to kiss him. Still, Eddie sipped another mouthful of water to pour it into his mouth. Neither of them did notice the drop dripping from the corner of Carlton’s mouth and slowly trailing down his throat.

Soon, a feeble hand softly caressed Eddie’s hair and the moans turned more frequent. The fiery reporter softly stopped the kiss. To blissfully stare into two warm, soft, gleaming, iridescent, inhumanly big globes.

He could easily fall and drown into these sparkly voids…

 **I wish you could.** Venom grumbled.

 _I love your milky-wayish eyes too, V._  

Although he couldn’t see it, Eddie knew his alien partner was blushing.

Drake cupped Eddie’s feverish cheek. His hand was soft and warm. It was like being caressed by fresh rose petals. The dewatered rose spoke near Eddie’s ear.

“Feed me, Brock.” A croaking, broken yet lustful voice breathed.

A hot shiver crawled up Eddie’s spine.

Drake was staring at him insistently.

Shit. He liked it better when Carlton Drake despised him.

He aimed at the glass of water but almost fell off the bed. His heart was beating so furiously he could actually hear it. He took the glass at last and simply handed it to his sick guest who looked at it with a disappointed face. Carlton took it anyway.

“Thanks.” He muttered and gulped the water.

“I guessed you don’t want to die that much.” Eddie smiled.

“Well, there are better ways to die than feeling his body slowly turning into a dry and withered piece of flesh.” Drake replied.

“Like exploding in a rocket or morphine overdose?” Eddie tried to joke. Carlton glared at him. “Sorry.” 

The -infuriatingly still naked- deposed CEO blankly looked at his empty glass.

“Oh, do you want me to refill it?” Eddie asked.

Carlton gazed at him and smirked.

“Look at you, Brock.” He chuckled. “Not so long ago you wanted to end me, _kill_ me, and now…” He looked at the window, contemplating the night sky and shadowed city. “Now you’re all nice and kind with me. In fact... “ He stared back at the bottom of his glass. “... I can’t remember anyone… who’s been so nice with me. And believe me, I have an excellent memory.” The melancholic scientist bitterly smiled.

His smile _had_ to be cute too. Eddie regretted.

“Is… Is it why you-?”

“Hate humans?” Carlton cut him off. “Maybe.” He looked lost in thoughts.

“Still, it’s not a reason to-” Eddie began.

“Kill people?” Carlton cut him off again. “Why do _you_ eat people, Eddie? And don’t tell me it’s to save the widow and the orphan, you can easily scare off any criminal with your symbiote’s fangs.”

 **Because I need to eat living flesh!** Venom slipped through the conversation. **You’re the first to know that! And since Eddie doesn’t want me to do that, we just stick to bad people! That way, everyone is happy!**

Carlton almost burst into laugh. Contemptuous laugh.

“ _Because they’re bad people_  is just a dumb excuse to relieve your conscience!” He sniggered. “There’s no _‘bad’_ or _‘good’_ people! Eddie should teach you that! Only people you like and people you don’t like. That’s it. Your private likes don’t make the world. Even shoplifters and smugglers have families! Don’t you think _they_ will see you as a bad guy? Don’t you think _they’_ ll want to have you rawly eaten?”

 **Is that true, Eddie?** Venom gasped in shock.

“I… I only wanted to feed you properly.” Eddie half-admitted.

 **Eddie…** The symbiote sighed both of disappointment and gratefulness.

“What about _you_ then?” Eddie retorted. “If our… _’private likes_ ’ don’t make the world, that also works with your hate for humanity, doesn’t it?” He mocked.

“Please Brock…” Carlton snorted. “As a pro muckraker, I think you’re the best placed to know the deplorable state of our planet and our society. My private likes aren’t involved here. It’s just a matter of common sense.”

“Really?” 

“Don’t you think if humanity disappeared instantly, it would be better for all the other species of the planet?” Carlton asked Eddie right into his eyes.

“I think if humanity disappeared instantly, they… _we_ wouldn’t have a chance to show we can do better.” Eddie smiled. “They are a lot of people who want to do better actually.”

“But not enough.” Carlton replied. “Either way, if you believe people can do better, Eddie Brock, why do you eat them? Why do you like framing and ending them so much? Even without a symbiote…”

“Well, unlike certain people, I like saving them.”

This time, Carlton truly, heartfully burst into laugh.

“Yes! I’m sure the people you’ve _‘saved’_ are grateful to see you eating someone right before their eyes! I’m sure they don’t run and scream for their life! I’m sure they won’t be traumatized for life!”

 **Is… is he right, Eddie?** Venom fearfully asked.

“I should thank you actually, Eddie. You just do the job _I_ intended to do.” Carlton wryly smiled. “And you talk about _‘saving’_ humanity...” He laughed again. “You thought you had ended my work and here you are doing it willingly!” He laughed louder.

Eddie liked him better when he was crying.

“Shut up!”

Carlton kept on laughing.

“Shut the fuck **UP!!!** ” Eddie jumped on him and glued his raging face on the laughing scientist’s.

 _Ah yes. The eye checking._ He suddenly remembered, gazing deeply into Drake still magnificent, shiny eyes. The pupils were as dilated as a hot air balloon. Not small at all. Then he glanced at the contorted lips. There _was_ a bit of blue tainting them.

_Tainted love_

_Tainted love_

_Now I know I got to run away_

_I got to_

_Get away..._

Oh shit! Now wasn’t the moment to play sexy songs in his head!

Eddie didn’t have time to come back to his senses Carlton Drake crushed his tainted lips on his own. Eddie remembered only now one can have dilated pupils when horny. And given the wild smooching Eddie was getting, Drake was on severe heat. And to be fair, Eddie too. Maybe cause they were both in the presence of the guy who almost killed them. Danger aroused as fuck Eddie Brock, but so did it Carlton Drake. Maybe that was why they both liked mating with aliens so much.

At this point, it was like they tried to eat each other’s mouth.

**Ugh. Eddie, you know he has thrown up a few hours ago, don’t you?**

_Shut up, I don’t care!_ The rutting host tried to take off his shirt without breaking the lustful kiss. Drake closed his arms around his shoulders and hugged him tight against his chest as he was about to buckle off his belt. To Eddie’s surprise but not displeasure.


	15. Chapter 15

Oh God, yes! Now Eddie’s freshly naked chest was pressed against the hot and hairy of Carlton. It felt so good. Now the groans and breathe, even the heartbeat of Carlton vibrated against his skin. Eddie stroked back the night-black hair.  
  
**Eddie!**

 _Oh fuck, V!_ Eddie broke the kiss.

 **I know you find him hot and all but I thought humans only have sex with people they like.** Venom notified his host as if he’d just read an encyclopedia. **You still resent him for what he’s done. You still think he’s a villain. Why would you bed a villain, Eddie?**

The cockblocked reporter groaned in annoyance.

 _Uugh!!! Because I…_ Because _he’s a villain._ Eddie clumsily explained.

**I don’t understand.**

_He’s a villain, right?_

**Right.**

_I just… take advantage of a villain who’s in a weak position._ Eddie carried on his wobbly explanation. _That’s what heroes do. To make him understand we’re the winners, that ...he is nothing._

 **That’s… a horrible thing to do, Eddie!** Venom sounded outraged.

 _You shitting me? Who wanted to eat him in the first place??_ His human retorted.

 **Not the same!** Venom replied. **_I_** **wanted to kill him quickly!** ** _You_** **want to… psychologically torture him! Belittle him! Doesn’t sound very heroic to me! Rather sounds like something** ** _Riot_** **and the other symbiotes would do to me!** The symbiote growled.

“Riot…” Passive Drake whined again, like a sad litany. “Riot… my world… my savior…” He raved.

**I hate him but even I wouldn’t do that!**

“Ok! Ok! I want to… ugh! and I can’t believe I’m gonna say that... _bed_ him because I just want to! Happy?” Eddie admitted out loud.

**No. Disappointed. But with you, I’m used to that feeling.**

“Fuck you!”

**Yes, I’d quite like that!**

_Well, not now since I’m about to do it with a guy you hate._

**If I knew you were** **_that_ ** **weak, Eddie, I’d have eaten you on the spot and chosen a host more decent!**

_Too late, stupid._

**What??** Venom screeched in shock.

_First, you like me, second, you love the indecent type._

The symbiote shamefully grumbled. His horny host was right.

_Also, who knows? Maybe you’ll come to like doing it._

**With Carlton Drake?? NEVER!!**

_Never say never, V._ Eddie closed the inner conversation and kissed the corner of Drake’s lips. The ex-CEO gazed at him. Then he closed his shiny doe eyes and kissed Eddie’s luscious lips.He affectionately responded.

God, his body was unbearably, inhumanly beautiful. Like it was carved into amber, shimmering and glowing precious amber, and sprinkled with gold dust. Not to mention these goddamn big, wide, glimmering, blinding, warm chestnut Bambi eyes. The bitten reporter was convinced that was with this enchanting asset Carlton Drake had managed to hire thousands of employees and guinea pigs. No need to coerce. Just make them look into these beautiful, radiant, gorgeous, heart-striking eyes and the rest is easy.

Eddie kissed his forehead gently, tenderly. Then his temple, his soft cheek, where a few short hairs stung a bit Eddie’s lips, a kiss on Carlton’s nervous throat, it switched on a faint whine, his collarbone, then just above the dark brown nipple. Eddie stopped to look at it. Drake moaned. Impatience? Fear? Impossible for Eddie to know. Carlton’s head was tilted aside on the pillow and his eyes closed. Eddie looked back at the brown bud. It was pointing up, slightly shivering, getting stiffer, harder… as if begging “touch me”, “love me”. Eddie dared a gentle lick on it. The passive faintly gasped. As if he was getting cold. In fact, the gilded skin was speckled with tiny goose pimples, especially around the trembling dark nipples. Poor little things. They needed to be warmed. And loved. Eddie smiled. He looked at the face of the chilling buds’ owner. Carlton’s eyebrows frowned. As if he expected to feel pain. Eddie kissed his unshaven cheek again. Then the nipple he’d just tasted.

Carlton yelped.

“Oh, sorry. Was I too-?” Eddie started.

“Who told you to stop?” Drake whispered.

“Wh-? Oh.” Eddie tried to put all the scattered pieces of his brain together. 

Carlton Drake _liked_ to have his nipples played with? 

Eddie blushed hotter than before.

He gently kissed the same spot, switching another cute moan on. Kissed again. Softly. Then slowly, tenderly licked the dark brown nipple. First the soft top of it, then the dark caramel circle, enjoying the faint moans every time. As his tongue kept warming the first, Eddie’s hand went to softly pinch the other chocolate nugget, pulling off a muffled scream and a faint body-squirming from Carlton. Eddie pinched between his thumb and middle finger the frail nipple as his forefinger began to gently brush against the top of it. 

Drake faintly gasped.

Also there was that gifted tongue on his other nipple…

He gasped deeper.

A hand, Eddie’s free hand was slowly sliding down his waist. That hand felt rough yet… warm and… tender.

His manhood started to feel hot. 

And hard.

He knew Eddie could feel it against his own, covered by jeans.

Carlton began to rub his hardness against it. Moaning softly. As Eddie kept taking care of his hungry nipples.


	16. Chapter 16

Carlton softly moaned as he was rubbing his warmed up groin against Eddie’s pants. He had enough of the tits appetizing! Now he wanted the main dish! And maybe… maybe he could get something… symbiotic this time.

“I wish… I could ask you to beg for me.” Eddie murmured, out of the blue.

“Then… do it…” Carlton whispered.

“Not that kind of guy. Unlike certain people…”

“Or…” The horny stubborn scientist rubbed himself harder against Eddie’s zipper. Pulling out a sigh of pleasure from the muckraker’s mouth. “Maybe  _ you  _  were always… the begging one. I’m sure your girl... always topped you… and I imagine… who’s the top…  between a weak, low human… and a strong, powerful alien…” He rubbed faster as he was delightfully picturing himself having all his orifices probed by Riot. “Ah… please...Brock…”

Eddie’s pants suddenly felt too small for his hardened rod. He nervously gulped. How come such a despicable, immoral bastard could look so hot and so desirable? He licked the gilded throat and finally let go of his messed nipples. Carlton sighed in relief but instantly hissed when Eddie’s hand touched his heated manhood. Then caressed it. Slowly. Softly. Carlton faintly moaned. Eddie’s fingertips were carefully stroking the slightest veins throbbing under the thin skin. The naked scientist quietly gasped as his manliness was blissfully twitching under his enemy’s caress. 

_ Fuck. _

How he wished, craved, these fingers were alien tentacles. Slowly, teasingly rolling around his cock then crushing it tight like a merciless python. The aroused ex-billionaire began to caress his chest as his other hand was clutching on the sheets. He pictured Riot’s wet tongue coating his intimate jewels with alien drool. His body squirmed in delight at that thought.

“Ah… Riot…” He started to drool as well.

He glanced up. Brock was staring, gazing at him. With amazed, starry eyes and flushed cheeks. Carlton smirked.

“You’re… a terrible top. Eddie…” He teased.

“Oh yeah?”

The hand sharply clutched on his shaft. His whole body quivered.

_ Fuck yeah!  _

_ Yes! _

_ Crush me! Grind me to grit! To powder! _

He made unintended tiny whimpers.

Eddie’s heart skipped a beat while his busy hand froze. Was it actual reality? He, Eddie-Clumsy-Trouble-Once-tied-to-a-chair Brock, was in the dominant position while Carlton-Moneybag-Almighty-Untouchable Drake literally was moaning and begging under his touch? When Eddie wanted to switch positions with him, he certainly didn’t think of  _ that  _ kind of position, let alone the contrast between them would come out that sharp. Or that he’d love it so much! He moved his feverish hand up and down. Keeping his lusty stare on the moaning figure. Carlton’s cheeks displayed a pretty glow of pink. Eddie couldn’t help kissing one of them. 

“More… more…” Dominated Drake begged. 

“I’ll give you more…” Eddie promised.

Without stopping his movements on the burning hot manhood, he started to gently rub the tip of it with his forefinger.

Carlton winced. And softly gasped. Whimpered. Then lost all of his voice. He dared a look at Brock’s divine job. Oh fuck, he really was doing it! He was skillfully rubbing the small, glowing, gleaming and so fucking sensitive tip! First with his finger then, when he noticed his sub’s horny expression, with his thumb. Drake threw his head back and melodiously wailed. A hand clutching tighter on the sheets, his other hand came up to pinch one of his lonely nipples. He closed his eyes. He whined.

Eddie, who’d been lost in admiration in front of his own job, looked up. Did Drake just whine like a frightened baby deer caught in a trap? Was his cosmically beautiful body faintly shivering under his touch? Under the sole touch of his thumb on the moist, smooth and rosewood tip? 

_ Wait. Is he-? _

**Yes, he is.**

Eddie didn’t question the sudden intervention of his alien partner and maliciously grinned. He took his fingers off.

_ What?  _

_ No!  _

_ No!!  _

_ Don’t stop! It’s so good! _

Carlton winced and groaned in frustration.

“What? You wanted more?” Eddie taunted.

“Fuck you…”

“Aw, not that. I’d like those cute little moans from earlier.”

“As if… I wanted to please you, Brock!” Carlton spat.

“Not  _ please  _ me.  _ Plead  _ me.” Eddie corrected him.

“Ah!” Carlton couldn’t help crying out loud.

Eddie smiled as he was polishing the bliss-washed manhood with his tongue. 

**You’re a real whore, Eddie.**

_ I’m not. I’m doing it for free. _

**Well, maybe you** **_should_ ** **ask for payment. He owes you that. And he has the money.**

_ No, cause I’m not a whore. _

**You’re a complicated host, Eddie.** Venom sighed.

Eddie ignored his alien partner before running his tongue up and down the glowing with stiffness shaft of his sub who gleefully gasped in response. Soon his gifted tongue lingered on the now lighter pink tip. Buffing it until it glistened.

“Fuuuck…” Drake croaked.

He had no idea being touched that way, being touched at all, by someone could feel so euphorising. So delightful. He shut his eyes. Slightly bit his lower lip. An unintended quiver dashed through his hips. He whimpered. 

The breaking whimper.

Eddie hastily undid his belt in excitement and exaltation.

_ Shit, shit, shit! I shouldn’t do this. I shouldn’t do this! _

**No, you shouldn’t!**

_ Fuck it, I’ll do it anyway! _

**I’m afraid you will.** Venom regretted.

The reporter in heat messily pulled down his underpants to reveal a quite vigorous and hungry-looking pecker.

“Oh… am I… having that much effect on you… Eddie?” Carlton teased.

“As much as… my tongue has some effect on you. At least.” Eddie breathlessly replied as his heart was racing like crazy inside.

After a few seconds of hesitation, and a look at his -hopefully- one-night-stand to see if it was ok, he laid his feverish length upon freshly thickened Drake’s. Both let out a low quick gasp before carefully breathing out. 

It felt weird at first, especially for an inexperienced man who despised any form of physical contact, but the deposed Life foundation’s boss quickly grew fond of that heat-on-heat sensation. Somehow, with all the horrors he’d read or seen in tv news, he firstly expected to be abused or raped. That’s how “topping” men were supposed to copulate, right? That’s how, with hidden murder and torture,  _ he  _ used to treat anyone who’d get in his way and ruin his plans. But with Eddie, Eddie freaking Brock, Carlton knew that would never happen. He knew, despite everything that happened between them, Eddie would never do that. 

_ Curse your cheap morals, Brock. _

The spiteful scientist didn’t have the time to blame the bold reporter for all the universe’s calamities for his mind swiftly turned blank. 

Eddie was rubbing his healthy shaft against the amazed and speechless ex CEO’s. To the endless bliss of the latter. So blissful he didn’t notice the droplets leaking from the corner of his eyes or the tiny squeaks slipping through his lips.

That double burning heat, that double bloodful swelling, right here between his thighs, Carlton didn’t know how but it felt so good and divine! Did symbiotes feel that good during sex? Would Riot have felt so good if he had stayed with the dishonored founder?

_ Riot… _

Shit. The nagging misery feeling was back.

Eddie must have seen it for he started to rub, chafe himself harder against the no longer pure cock.

_ Fuck! _

_ It’s going to melt! It’s going to steam! _ Carlton feared as his fingers deeply dig into the weak pillow already wet with tears.

He moaned again. And hyperventilated too. To the high-peaked delight of Eddie who gripped on both their manhoods and added a strong, wild handjob to the groin-on-groin faster and faster chaffing. The confident reporter began to moan as well.

_ Oh fuck. Feels so fucking good. Maybe better than with Dan. _

**Dan’s dick feels better than that psychopathic killer’s!** Venom protested.

_ I’m still allowed to have my own feelings, V! Shit. Shit! I-I’m gonna- _

“Oh… fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” Carlton wholeheartedly swore as the white substance squirted out of his ecstatic manhood. 

Eddie came a few seconds after. Spilling on Carlton Drake’s breathless and already stained and sticky chest. Crumbling on him. Exhausted.

“Wow…” He panted. “Didn’t know the clean respected Doctor Drake was so much dirty. Oh wait. I did.”

“Fuck you…” The worn out Bambi grumbled.

“But what I didn’t know… is that same dirty Drake was a virgin.”

“How… did that concern you? Moron...”

_ I wanted to give it to Riot, not to some human waste like you! _

_ Riot… _

Carlton rolled and turned his back on Eddie.

“Aw, come on…” Eddie half-groaned, half-laughed.

Though his laugh quickly faded when he heard his one-night-stand weeping again. And saw his pretty gilded back pitifully trembling.

_ I’m pathetic. _

_ I gave myself to the bastard who ruined my work and my life! And I  _ loved  _ it! _

_ I feel… grateful for him! I feel… ugh! _

_ I’m shameful. _

_ I’m laughable. _

_ I’m… shit. _

Eddie hesitated to comfort him. He sought Venom, who’d grown a round black head on his shoulder, for advice.

**What? You want my opinion only** **_now_ ** **? You already know what I thought about banging him.**

“Riot…’ Carlton breathed in a creaking voice.

Eddie sighed. About to say again he was sorry.

“Brock?”

“Uh? Yeah?”

“How did you do it?”

“H-How did I do what?” Eddie blinked in confusion.

“Bearing the rejection of everyone around you. Of society…. of the person you love the most.”

“Wha-? Are  _ you  _ of all people asking me that?” Eddie chuckled in surprise. “You who always liked to brag about evolution and survival and so on?”

“That’s not an answer!”

“Ok, jeez! I guess… I got used to it. I had to. I’ve… adapted. Like we all do. Like… most of people do. Life works that way, isn’t it? We must adapt or we die. A bit like with the evolution theory or… your creepy lab tests… or…” He looked at Venom. “Or symbiose.” He smiled.

“Then,” Drake scoffed. “I guess I am the unwilling guinea pig now. With the difference _I_. Do _not_ want. To adapt.”

“Of course you do. You’ve drunk your glass.” Eddie reminded him.

“Ugh.” Carlton sighed. “Just a mere, stupid survival instinct. Nothing more. I meant I have no reason to adapt.”

“Well, let’s find you one, shall we?” Eddie tenderly stroked the black damp hair. 

Carlton frowned but didn’t slap the hand away.

Why did he enjoy Eddie Brock’s hands on his face? On his body? He who’d always hated any form of physical touch with other human beings? He who’d always hated human beings? 

He closed his eyes. 

Felt a finger wiping the tears under his eyelashes.

He lowly hummed in pleasure.

**That’s it, Eddie. You’re tired. You must sleep.**

“Wh-? No, I’m not-” Eddie protested.

**Not a question, Eddie. An order!** Venom decided before he switched off the consciousness of his host who dropped down unceremoniously on the mattress.

“Eddie?” Carlton turned back.

**Eddie’s sleeping now. He needs rest. Here.** Venom gave him a glass refilled with water.  **Don’t worry. Not from the toilet.**

“Thank you.” Carlton breathed while pondering the fact Riot had never cared about his well-being, even physical. Not even when he still considered Carlton as a suitable host. Contrary to Venom. Contrary to Eddie. He drank up the water and stared at the snoozing figure next to him. The alien-screwing reporter looked way less sexy when snoring and drooling against a pillow.

**Hey. Take that.**

Carlton switched to the symbiote. He was handing some chinese take-out to him.

**Eddie said you must eat.**

“Thanks.” Carlton hoped it wasn’t out of date.

He opened the box. Rice noodles. With what looked like bits of omelet and peas. He took the chopsticks and began to eat. Cold and tasteless. But he ate anyway. He was hungry. 

Despite what his lingering depression told him.

_ Don’t eat. _

_ What’s the point? _

_ Your life is over. _

_ Your goals and dreams were ruined. _

_ Just die. _

_ Stop eating. _

_ You don’t deserve it anyway. _

He tried to ignore the thick and warm tears rolling over his cheeks and randomly dripping on the bed sheets or directly into the box.

_ You’re a loser. _

He kept on munching despite the lump in his throat and his sniffling nose.

_ Billions of money invested. _

_ Hundred of people tortured and killed. _

_ And let’s not talk about these poor two symbiotes who hadn’t ask anything and who miserably died because of you. _

The tears kept on rolling. He swallowed with difficulty. Then took another bite of cold noodles.

_ Even your worst enemy pities you. _

_ See how low you’ve fallen? _

_ So low you’ve let him play with your family jewels! And you enjoyed it! _

_ Even a street whore has more dignity than you! _

_ You disgust me! _

Carlton dropped the pasta box. He tried to wipe his tears with his hands, his arms. He whimpered. Took a deep breath. Tried to calm down.

**You don’t like that either? I get you. It tastes gross.**

He looked at the alien. What would have Venom become if he hadn’t met Eddie? If he’d stayed in the foundation’s lab? Probably would have died like the other symbiotes. Even Eddie Brock, who knew no shit about science and biology, took a better care of symbiotes. Carlton really was a loser. And Venom currently was the most adorable creature he’d ever met! Without even being sure if it was physically possible, Carlton jumped on the startled alien and hugged the gooey substance against him. And cried.

“Sorry… I’m sorry, Venom…”

**Sorry of wha-? Oh. Right.** The symbiote understood. But didn’t know what to reply. So he just patted Carlton’s head with a comforting tendril.

“I didn’t want to kill them… I didn’t want…” Carlton sobbed.

Venom knew he only was talking about the symbiotes and still didn’t care about the human ‘volunteers’. But the domestic symbiote guessed it was better than nothing.

**You’re tired too. You must sleep.**

“But… but I’ve just-”

**No arguing! Sleep!** Venom put his own order into practice.

He took a look at the messed up pasta box. He hated these bland noodles but he was hungry too and too tired to stretch away to the fridge again. 


End file.
